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 REPORT 
 
 OF 
 
 LIEUTENANT-GE?(ERAL U. S. GRANT, 
 
 OF THE 
 
 ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES-1864-'65. 
 
 AOOOMPANIED BY A PORTRAIT, 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 D. APPLETON AND COMPANY, 
 
 443 & 445 BROADWAY 
 1865. 
 
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 )rv\|>isFie(l:(*irf 
 
RE P O ET 
 
 OF 
 
 MAOT-GFJEPiALU.S.Gli..,., 
 
 OF THE 
 
 ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES-1864-'65. 
 
 ACCOMPANIED BY A PORTRAIT. 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 D. APPLETON AND COMPANY, 
 
 4-13 & 44 5 BROADWAY. 
 
 18G5. 
 
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 * % ' ' 
 
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 REPORT 
 
 LIEUTENAKT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT, 
 
 ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES-1864-'65. 
 
 Headquarteks Armies of the United States, | 
 Washington, D. C, July 22, 1865. J 
 
 SiE : — I liave the honor to siibiiJCtSf^ f&llowing report of the 
 operations of the Armies of the iTnited States from the date of 
 my appointment to command the same.it A * 
 
 From an early period in the rebellion 1 had been impressed 
 with the idea that active and continuous operations of all the 
 troops that could be brought into the field, regardless of season 
 and weather, were necessary to a speedy termination of the war. 
 The resources of the enemy and his numerical strength were far 
 inferior to ours ; but as an offset to this, we liad a vast territory, 
 with a population hostile to the Government, to garrison, and Jong 
 lines of river and railroad conimunications to protect, to enable us 
 to supply the operating armies. 
 
 The armies in the East and West acted independently and 
 without concert, like a balky team, no two ever pulling together, 
 enabling the enemy to use to great advantage his interior lines of 
 communication for transporting troops from East to West, reen- 
 forcing the army most vigorously pressed, and to furlough large 
 numbers, during seasons of inactivity on our part, to go to thei'r 
 homes and do the work of -producing, for the support of their 
 armies. It was a question whether our numerical strength and 
 resources were not more than balanced by these disadvantages and 
 the enemy's superior position. 
 
4 REPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT. 
 
 From the first, I was firm in the conviction that no peace could 
 be had that would be stable and conducive to the happiness of the 
 people, both !Nortli and South, until the military power of the re- 
 bellion was entirely broken. 
 
 I therefore determined, first, to use the greatest number of 
 troops practicable against the armed force of the enemy ; prevent- 
 insf him from usins: the same force at difierent seasons as-ainst first 
 one and then, another of our armies, and the possibility of repose 
 for refitting and producing necessary supplies for carrying on re- 
 sistance. Second, to hammer continuously against the armed 
 force of the enemy and his resources, until by mere attrition, if in 
 no other way, there should be nothing left to him but an equal 
 submission with the loyal section of our common country to the 
 Constitution and laws of the land. . 
 
 These views have been kept constantly in mind, and orders 
 given and campaigns made to carry them out. Whether they 
 might have been better in conception and execution is for the 
 y«eople, who mourn the loss of friends fallen, and who have to pay 
 the pecuniary cost, to say. All I can say is, that what I have done 
 has been done conscientiously, to the best of my ability, and in 
 what I conceived to be for the best interests of the whole country. 
 
 At the date when this report begins the situation of the con- 
 tending forces was about as follows : The Mississippi Eiver was 
 strongly garrisoned by Federal troops from St. Louis, Missouri, to 
 its mouth. The liiie of the Arkansas was also held, thus giving us 
 armed possession of all west of the Mississippi, north of that stream. 
 A few points in southern Louisiana, not remote from the river, 
 were held by us, together with a small garrison at and near the 
 mouth of the'Eio Grande. All the balance of the vast territory 
 of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas was . in the almost undisputed 
 possession of the enemy, with an army of probably not less than 
 80,000 effective men that could have been brought into the field 
 had there been sufiicient opposition to have brought them out. The 
 let-alone policy had demoralized this force so much that probably 
 little more than one-half of it was ever present in garrison at any 
 one time. But the one-half, or 40,000 men, with the bands of guer- 
 rillas scattered through Missouri, Arkansas, and along the Mississip- 
 pi Eiver, and the disloyal character' of much of the population, 
 compelled the use of a large number of troops to keep navigation 
 open on the river, and to protect the loyal people to the west of it. 
 
EEPORT OF LIEUTENANT-GENEEAL U. S. GRANT. 5 
 
 To the east of the Mississippi we held substantially with the line 
 of the Tennessee and Holston Rivers, running eastward to include 
 nearly all of the State of Tennessee. South of Chattanooga, a 
 small foothold had beeu obtained in Georgia, sufficient to protect 
 East Tennessee from incursions from the enemy's force at Dalton, 
 Georgia. West Virginia was substantially within our lines. Vir- 
 ginia, with the exception of the northern border, the Potomac River, 
 a small area about the mouth of James River, covered by the troops 
 at Norfolk and Fort Monroe, and the territory covered by the Army 
 of the Potomac lyiug along the Rapidan, was in the possession 
 of the enemy. Along the sea-coast footholds had been obtained at 
 Plymouth, Washington, and Newborn, in North Carolina ; Beau- 
 fort, Polly and Morris Islands, Hilton Head, Fort Pulaski, and 
 Port Royal in South Carolina ; Fernandina and St. Augustine, in 
 Florida. Key West and Pensacola were also in our possession, 
 while all the important ports were blockaded by the navy. The 
 accompanying map, a copy of wliicli was sent to General Sherman 
 and other commanders in March, 1864, shows by red lines tlie ter- 
 ritory occupied- by us at tlie beginning of the rebellion, and at the. 
 opening of the campaign of 1864, while those in blue are the lines 
 which it was proposed to occupy. 
 
 Behind the Union lines there were many bands of guerrillas and 
 a large population disloyal to the Government, making it necessary 
 to guard every foot of road or river used in supplying our armies. 
 In the South a reign of military despotism prevailed, which made 
 every man and boy capable of bearing arms a soldier; and those 
 who could not bear arms in the field acted as provosts for collect- 
 ing deserters and returning them. This enabled the enemy to 
 bring almost his entire strength into the field. 
 
 The enemy had concentrated the bulk of his forces east of the 
 Mississippi into two armies, commanded by Generals R. E. Lee 
 and J. E. Johnston, his ablest and best generals. The army com- 
 manded by Lee occupied the south bank of the Rapidan, extend- 
 ing from Mine Run westward, strongly intrenched, covering and 
 defending Richmond, the rebel capital, against the Army of the 
 Potomac. The army under Johnston occupied a strongly intrench- 
 ed position at Dalton, Georgia, covering and defending Atlanta, 
 Georgia, a place of great importance as a railroad centre, against 
 the armies under Major-General W. T. Sherman. In addition to 
 these armies he had a large cavalry force under Forrest, in north- 
 
6 KEPOKT OF LIEUTENAiJT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT. 
 
 east Mississippi ; a considerable force, of all arms, in tlie Slienan- 
 doali Yallej, and in the western part of Virginia and extreme 
 eastern part of Tennessee ; and also confronting our sea-coast gar- 
 risons, and holding blockaded ports where we had no foothold upon 
 land. 
 
 These two armies, and the cities covered and defended by them, 
 were the main objective points of the campaign. 
 
 Major-General W. T. Sherman, who was appointed to the com- 
 mand of the Military Division of the Mississippi, embracing all the 
 armies and territory east of the Mississippi River to the Allegha- 
 nies, and the Department of Arkansas, west of the Mississippi, had 
 the immediate command of the armies operating against Johnston. 
 
 Major-General George G. Meade had the immediate command 
 of the Army of the Potomac, from where I exercised general su- 
 pervision of the movements of all our armies. 
 
 General Sherman was instructed to move against Johnston's 
 army, to break it up, and to go into the interior of the enemy's 
 country as far as he could, inflicting all the damage he could upon 
 their war resources. If the enemy in his front showed signs of 
 joining Lee, to follow him up to the full extent of his ability, while 
 I would prevent the concentration of Lee upon him if it was in the 
 power of the Army of the Potomac to do so. More specific written 
 instructions were not given, for the reason that I had talked over 
 with him the plans of the campaign, and was satisfied that he 
 understood them and would execute them to the fullest extent 
 possible. 
 
 Major-General N. P. Banks, then on an expedition up Red 
 River against Shreveport, Louisiana (which had been organized 
 previous to my appointment to command), was notified by me on 
 the 15th of March, of the importance it was that Shreveport should 
 be taken at the earliest possible day, and that if he found tliat the 
 taking of it would occupy from ten to fifteen days' more time 
 than General Sherman had given his troops to be absent from 
 their command, he would send them back at the time spe- 
 cified by General Sherman, even if it Jed to the abandonment 
 of the main object of the Red River expedition, for this force was 
 necessary to movements east of the Mississippi ; that should his 
 expedition prove successful, he would hold Shreveport and the Red 
 River with such force as he might deem necessary, and return the 
 balance of his troops to the neighborhood of New Orleans, com- 
 
KEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT. 7 
 
 meiicing no move for the further acquisition of territory unless it 
 was to make that then held by him more easily held ; that it might 
 be a part of the spring campaign to move against Mobile ; that it 
 certainly would be if troops enough could be obtained to make it 
 without embarrassing other movements ; that New Orleans would 
 be the point of departure for such an expedition ; also, that I had 
 directed General Steele to make a real move from Arkansas, as 
 suggested by him (General Banks), instead of a demonstration, as 
 Steele thouglit advisable. 
 
 On the 31st of March, in addition to the foregoing notification 
 and directions, he was instructed as follows : — 
 
 " 1st. If successful in your expedition against Shreveport, that you turn 
 over the defence of the Red River to General Steele and the navy. 
 
 " 2d. That you abandon Texas entirely with the exception of your hold 
 upon the Rio Grande. This can be held with .four thousand men, if they 
 will turn their attention immediately to fortifying their positions. At least 
 one-half of the force required for this service might be taken from the 
 colored troops. 
 
 " 3d. By properly fortifying on the Mississippi River, the force to guard 
 it from Port Hudson to New Orleans can he reduced to ten thousand men, if 
 not to a less number. Six thousand more would then hold all the rest of 
 the territory necessary to hold until active operations can again he resumed 
 west of the river. According to your last return this would give you a force 
 of over thirty thousand effective men with which to move against Mobile. 
 To this I expect to add five thousand men from Missouri. If, however, 
 you think the force here stated too small to hold the territory regarded as 
 necessary to hold possession of, I would say concentrate at least twenty- 
 five thousand men of your present command for operations against Mobile. 
 With these and such additions as I can give you from elsewhere, lose no 
 time in making a demonstration, to be followed by an attack upon Mobile. 
 Two or more iron-clads will be ordered to report to Admiral Farragut. 
 This gives him a strong naval fleet with which to cooperate. You can 
 make your ov/n arrangements with the Admhal for his cooperation, and 
 select your own line of approach. My own idea of the matter is that Pas- 
 cagoula should be your base, but, from your long service in the Gulf De- 
 partment, you will know best about the matter. It is intended that your 
 movements shall be cooperative with movements elsewhere, and you cannot 
 now start too soon. All I would now add is, that you commence the con- 
 centration of your forces at once. Preserve a profound secresy of what you 
 intend doing, and start at the earliest possible moment. 
 
 " U. S. Gkant, Lieutenant-General. 
 
 " Major-Genei-al N. P. Banks." 
 
S EBPOKT OF LIEUTENANT-GENEKAL V. S. GRANT. 
 
 Major-General Meade was instructed that Lee's array would be 
 his objective point; that wherever Lee went he would go also. 
 For liis movement two plans . presented themselves : One to cross 
 the Eapidan below Lee, moving by his right flank ; the other above, 
 moving by his left. Each presented advantages over the other, 
 with corresponding objections. By crossing above, Lee would be 
 cut off from all chance of ignoring Richmond or going north on a 
 raid. But if we took this route all we did would have to be done 
 whilst the rations we started with held out ; besides, it sei)arated 
 us from Butler, so that he could not be directed how to cooperate. 
 If we took the other route. Brandy Station could be used as a base 
 of supplies until another was secured on the York or James Bivers 
 Of these, however, it was decided to take the lower route. 
 
 The following letter of instruction was addressed to Major- 
 General B. F. Butler : 
 
 "Fort Monroe, Va., April 2, 1864. 
 
 " General : In the spring campaign, which it is desirable shall com- 
 mence at as eai'ly a day as practicable, it is proposed to have cooperative 
 action of all the armies in the field, as far as this object can be accom- 
 plished. 
 
 " It will not be possible to nnite onr armies into two or three large 
 ones to act as so many nnits, owing to the absolute necessity of holding 
 on to the territory already taken from the enemy. But, generally speak- 
 ing, concentration can be practically effected by armies moving to the inte- 
 rior of the enemy's country from the territory they have to guard. By 
 such movement they interpose themselves between the enemy and the 
 country to he guarded, thereby reducing the number necessary to guard 
 important points, or at least occupy the attention of a part of the enemy's 
 force, if no greater object is gained. Lee's army and Richmond being the 
 greater objects toward which our attention must be directed in the next 
 campaign, it is desirable to unite all the force we can against them. The 
 necessity of covering AVashington with the Army of the Potomac, and of 
 covering your department with your army, makes it impossible to unite 
 these forces at the beginning of any move. I propose, therefore, what 
 comes nearest this of any thing that seems practicable : The Army of the 
 Potomac will act from its present base, Lee's army being the objective 
 point. You will collect all the forces from your command that can be 
 spared for garrison duty — I should say not less than twenty thousand 
 effective men — to operate on the south side of James River, Richmond 
 being your objective point. To the force you already have will be added 
 about ten thousand men from . South Carohna, under Major-General Gilb 
 
EEPOKT OF LIEUTEXANT-GENEEAL U. S. GRANT. 9 
 
 more, who will command them in person, Major-General W. F. Smith is 
 ordered to report to you, to command the troops sent into the field from 
 your own department. 
 
 " General Gillmore will be ordered to report to you at Fortress Monroe, 
 with all the troops on transports, by the 1 8th instant, or as soon thereafter 
 as practicable. Should you not receive notice by that time to move, you 
 will make such disposition of them and your other forces as you may 
 deem best calculated to deceive the enemy as to the real move to be made. 
 
 "When you are notified to move, take City Point with as much force 
 as possible. Fortify, or rather intrench, at once, and concentrate all your 
 troops for the field there as rapidly as you can. From City Point direc- 
 tions cannot be given at this time for your further movements. 
 
 " The fact that has already been stated — that is, that Richmond is to 
 be your objective point, and that there is to be cooperation between your 
 force and the Army of the Potomac — must be your guide. Tliis indicates 
 the necessity of your holding close to the south bank of the James River 
 as you advance. Then, should the enemy be forced into his intrench- 
 ments in Richmond, the Army of the Potomac would follow, and by 
 means of transports the two armies would become a unit. 
 
 '' All the minor details of your advance are left entirely to your direc- 
 tion. If, however, you think it practicable to use your cavahy south of 
 you so as to cut the railroad about Hick's Ford about the time of the gen- 
 eral advance, it would be of immense advantage. 
 
 " You will please forward for my information, at the earliest practica- 
 ble day, all orders, details, and instructions you may give for the execution 
 of this order. U. S. Grant, Lieutenant-Gen eral. 
 
 "Major-General B. F. Butlee." 
 
 On the 16tli, these instructions were substantially reiterated. 
 On tlie 19tli, in order to secure full cooperation between his army 
 and that of General Meade, he was informed that I expected him 
 to move from Fort Monroe the same day that General Meade 
 moved from Culpepper. The exact time I was to telegraph him as 
 soon as it was fixed, and that it would not be earlier than the 2Tth 
 of April ; that it was my intention to fight Lee between Culpepper 
 and Kichmond if he would stand. Should he, however, fall back 
 into Eichmond, I would follow up and make a junction with his 
 (General Batler's) army on the James Eiver; that, could I be cer- 
 tain he would be able to invest Eichmond on the south side so as 
 to have his left resting on the James, above the city, I would form 
 the junction there; that circumstances might make'this course ad- 
 visable anyhow ; that he should use every exertion to secure foot- 
 
10 EEPOKT OF LIEUTENANT-GENEKAL U. S. GRANT. 
 
 iiig as far up the south side of the river as he could, and as soon as 
 possible after the receipt of orders to move ; that if he could not 
 carry the city, he should at least detain as large a force as possible. 
 
 In cooperation with the main movements against Lee and John- 
 ston, I was desirous of using all other troops necessarily kept in de- 
 partments remote fi'om the fields of immediate operations, and also 
 those kept in the background for the protection of our extended 
 lines between the loyal States and the armies operating against 
 them. 
 
 A very considerable force, under command of Major-General 
 Sigel, was so held for the protection of West Virginia, and the 
 frontiers of Maryland and Pennsylvania. Whilst these troops 
 could not be withdrawn to distant fields without exposing the 
 ISTorth to invasion by comparatively small bodies of the enemy, 
 they could act directly to their front and give better protection than 
 if lying idle in garrison. By such a movement they would either 
 compel the enemy to detach largely for the protection of his supplies 
 and lines of communication, or he would lose them. General Sigel 
 was therefore directed to organize all his available force into two ex- 
 peditions, to move from Beverly and Charleston, under command of 
 Generals Ord and Crook, against the East Tennessee and Yirginia 
 Eailroad. Subsequently, General Ord having been relieved at his 
 own request, General Sigel was instructed, at liis own suggestion, to 
 give up the expedition by Beverly, and to form two columns, one 
 under General Crook, on the Kanawha, numbering about ten thou- 
 sand men, and one on the Shenandoah, numbering about seven 
 thousand men. The one on the Shenandoah to assemble between 
 Cumberland and the Shenandoah, and the infimtry and artillery 
 advanced to Cedar Creek with such cavalry as could be made avail- 
 able at the moment, to threaten the enemy in the Shenandoah 
 Valley, and advance as far as possible ; while General Crook would 
 take possession of Lewisburg with part of his force and move down 
 the Tennessee Eailroad, doing as much damage as he could, de- 
 stroying the New Kiver bridge and salt works, at Saltville, Ya. 
 
 Owing to the w^eather and bad condition of the roads, opera- 
 tions were delayed until the 1st of May, when, every thing being 
 in readiness and the roads favorable, orders were given for a gene- 
 ral movement of all the armies not later than the 4th of May. 
 
 My first object being to break the military power of the rebel- 
 lion and capture the enemy's important strongholds, made me de- 
 
EEPOKT OF LIEUTENANT-GENEKAL U. S. GRANT. 11 
 
 siroiis tliat General Butler should succeed in his movement against 
 Richmond, as that would tend more than any thing else, unles-s it 
 were the capture of Lee's army, to accomplish this desired result 
 in the East. If it failed, it was my determination, by hard lighting, 
 either to compel Lee to retreat or to so cripple him that he could 
 not detach a large force to go north and still retain enough for the 
 defence of Richmond. It was well understood, by both Generals 
 Butler and Meade, before starting on the campaign, that it was 
 my intention to put both their armies south of the James River, 
 in case of foilure to destroy Lee without it. 
 
 Before giving General Butler his instructions, I visited him at 
 Fort Monroe, and in conversation pointed out the apparent im- 
 portance of getting possession of Petersburg and destroying rail- 
 road communication as far south as possible. Believing, however, 
 in the practicability of capturing Richmond unless it was reen- 
 forced, I made that the objective point of his operations. As the 
 Army of the Potomac was to move simultaneously with him, Lee 
 could not detach from his army with safety, and the enemy did 
 not have troops elsewhere to bring to the defence of the city in 
 time to meet a rapid movement from the north of James River. 
 
 I may here state that, commanding all the armies as I did, I 
 tried, as far as possible, to leave General Meade in independent 
 command of the Army of tlie Potomac. My instructions for that 
 army were all through him, and were general in their nature, 
 leaving all the details and the execution to him. The campaigns 
 that followed proved him to be the right man in the right place. 
 His commanding always in the presence of an officer superior to 
 him in rank, has drawn from him much of that public attention 
 that his zeal and ability entitle him to, and which he would other- 
 wise have received. 
 
 The movement of the Ai-my of the Potomac commenced early 
 on the morning of the 4th of May, under the immediate direction 
 and orders of Major-General Meade, pursuant to instructions. Before 
 night the whole army was across the Rapidan (the Fifth and Sixth 
 Corps crossing at Germania Ford, and the Second Corps at United 
 States Ford, the cavalry, under Major General Sheridan, moving in 
 advance), with the greater part of its trains, numbering about 4,000 
 wagons, meeting with but slight opposition. The average distance 
 travelled by the troops that day was about twelve' miles. This I 
 regarded as a great success, and it removed from my mind the 
 
12 KEPOET OF LIEDTENANT-GENEEAL U. S. GRANT. 
 
 most serious apprehensions I had entertained, that of crossing the 
 river in the face of an active, large, well-appointed, and ably-com- 
 manded army, and how so large a train was to be carried through 
 a hostile country and protected. Early on the 5th, the advance 
 corps (the Fifth, Major-General G. K. Warren comuianding) met 
 and engaged the enemy outside his intrenchments near Mine Run. 
 The battle raged furiously all day, the whole array being brought 
 into the fight as fast as the corps could be got upon the field, 
 which, considering the density of the forest and narrowness of the 
 roads, was done with commendable promptness. 
 
 General Burnside, with the Ninth Corps, was, at the time the 
 Army of the Potomac moved, left with the bulk of his corps at 
 the crossing of the Rappahannock River and Alexandria Railroad, 
 holding the road back to Bull Run, with instructions not to move 
 until he received notice that a crossing of the Rapidan was secured, 
 but to move promptly as soon as such notice was received. This 
 crossing he was apprised of on the afternoon of the 4th. By six 
 o'clock of the morning of the 6th, he was leading his corps into 
 action near the Wilderness tavern, some of his troops having 
 marched a distance of over thirty miles, crossing both the Rappa- 
 hannock and Rapidan Rivers. Considering that a large proportion, 
 probabl}^ two-thirds of his command, was composed of new troops, 
 miaccustomed to marclies and carrying the accoutrements of a 
 soldier, this was a remarkable march. 
 
 The battle of the Wilderness was renewed by us at five o'clock 
 on the morning of the 6th, and continued with unabated fury 
 until darkness set in, each army holding substantially the same 
 position that they had on the evening of the 5th. After 'dark, the 
 enemy made a feeble attempt to turn our right flank, capturing 
 several hundred prisoners, and creating considerable confusion. 
 But the promptness of General Sedgwick, who was personally 
 present and conmaanding that part of our line, soon reformed it 
 and restored order. On the morning of the Tth, reconnoissances 
 showed that the enemy had fallen behind his intrenched lines, 
 with pickets to the front, covering a part of the battle-field. 
 From this it was evident to my mind that the two days' fighting 
 tad satisfied him of his inability to farther maintain the contest in 
 the open field, notwithstanding his advantage of position, and that 
 he would wait an attack behind his works. I therefore determined 
 to push on and put my Avhole force between him and Richmond ; 
 
EEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENEEAL U. S. GRANT. 13 
 
 and orders were at once issued for a movement by liis right flank. 
 On the night of the 7tli the march was commenced toward Spott- 
 sylvania Court-House, the Fifth Corps moving on the most direct 
 road. But the enemy having become apprised of our movement, 
 and having the sliorter line, was enabled to reach there first. On 
 the 8th, General Warren met a force of the enemy, which had 
 been sent out to oppose and delay his advance, to gain time to 
 fortify the line taken up at Spottsylvania. This force was steadily 
 driven back on tlie main force, within the recently constructed 
 works, after considerable fighting, resulting in severe loss to both 
 sides. On the morning of the 9th, General Sheridan started on a 
 raid against the enemy's lines of communication with Richmond. 
 The 9th, 10th, and 11th were spent in manoeuvring and fighting, 
 witliout decisive results. Among the killed on the 9th was that 
 able and distinguished soldier Major-General John Sedgwick. 
 C(^mmanding the Sixth Army Corps. Major-General H. G. Wright 
 succeeded him in command. Early on the morning of the 12th, a 
 general attack was made on the enemy in position. The Second 
 Corps, Major-General Hancock commanding, carried a salient of 
 his line, capturing most of Johnston's division of Swell's Corps 
 and twenty pieces of artillery. But the resistance was so ob- 
 stinate that the advantage gained did not prove decisive. The 
 13th, llth, 15th, 16th, 17th, and 18th were consumed in ma- 
 noeuvring and awaiting the arrival of reenforcements from 
 Washington. Deeming it impracticable to make any further 
 attack upon the enemy at Spottsylvania Court-House, orders were 
 issued on the 18th with a view to a movement to the North Anna, 
 to commence at 12 o'clock on the night of the 19th. Late in tlie 
 afternoon of the 19th Ewell's Corps came out of its works on our 
 extreme right flank ; but the attack was promptly repulsed, with 
 heavy loss. This delayed the movement to the North Anna until 
 the night of the 21st, when it was commenced. But the enemy 
 again having the shorter line, and being in possession of the main 
 roads, was enabled to reach the North Anna in advance of us, and 
 took position behind it. The Fifth Corps reached the North Anna on 
 the afternoon of the 23d, closely followed by the Sixth Corps. The 
 Second and Ninth Corps got up about the same time, the Second 
 holding the raih'oad bridge and the Ninth lying between that and 
 Jericho ford. General Warren effected a crossing the same afternoon, 
 and got a position without much opposition. Soon after getting into 
 
14 EEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U, S. GKANT. 
 
 position lie was violently attacked, but repulsed the enemy with 
 great slaughter. On the 25th General Sheridan rejoined the Army 
 of the Potomac from the raid on which he started from Spottsylvania, 
 having destroyed the depots at Beaver Dam and Ashland Stations, 
 four trains of cars, large supplies of rations, and many miles of rail- 
 road track ; recaptured about four hundred of our men on their 
 way to Richmond as prisoners of war; met and defeated the ene- 
 my's cavalry at Yellow Tavern ; carried the first line of works 
 around Richmond (but finding the second line too strong to be 
 carried by assault) recrossed to the north bank of the Cliickahominy 
 at Meadow's Bridge, under heavy fire, and moved by a detour to 
 Haxall's landing, on the James River, where he communicated with 
 General Butler. This raid had the effect of drawing ofiP the whole 
 of the enemy's cavahy force, and making it comparatively easy to 
 guard our trains. 
 
 General Butler moved his main force up the James River, in 
 pursuance of instructions, on the 4th of May, General Gillmore 
 having joined with the Tenth Corps. At the same time he sent a 
 force of 1,800 cavalry, by way of West Point, to form a junction 
 with him wherever he might get a foothold, and a force of 3,000 
 cavalry, under General Kautz, from Sufifolk, to operate against 
 the road south of Petersburg and Richmond. On the 5th he oc- 
 cupied, without opposition, both City Point and Bermuda Hundred, 
 his movement being a complete surprise. Cn the 6th he was in po- 
 sition with his main army, and commenced intrenching. On the 
 7th he made a reeonnoissance against the Petersburg and Richmond 
 Railroad, destroying a portion of it aftei' some fighting. On the 9th 
 he telegraphed as follows : 
 
 " Headquauters near Bermuda Landing, May 9, 1S64. 
 
 " Our operations may be summed up in a few words. With 1,700 
 cavalry wc have advanced up the Peninsula, forced the ChickaLominy, and 
 have safely brought them to our present position. These were colored 
 cavalry, and are now holding our advance pickets toward Richmond. 
 
 "General Kautz, with 3,000 cavalry from Suffolk, on the same day 
 with our movement up James River, forced the Blackwater, burned the 
 raih-oad bridge at Stony Creek, below Petersburg, cutting in two Beaure- 
 gard's force at that point. 
 
 " We have landed here, intrenched ourselves, destroyed many miles of 
 railroad, and got a position which, with proper supplies, we can hold out 
 against the Avhole of Lee's army. I have ordered up the supplies. 
 
EEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENEKAL U. S. GRANT. 15 
 
 " Beauref ard, with a large portion of his force, was left South by the 
 cutting of the railroads by Kautz. That portion which reached Peters- 
 burg under Hill I have whipped to-day, killing and wounding many and 
 taking many prisoners, after a severe and well-contested fight. 
 
 " General Grant will not be troubled v.'itli any further reenforcements 
 to Lee from Beauregard's force. 
 
 " Benjamin F. Butler, Major-General. 
 
 " Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War." 
 
 On the evening of the 13th and morning of the 14th he carried 
 a portion of the enemy's first line of defence at Drury's Bluif, or 
 Fort Darling, with small loss. The time thus consumed from the 
 6th lost to us the benefit of the surprise and capture of Eichmond 
 and Petersburg, enabling, as it did, Beauregard to collect his loose 
 forces in North and South Carolina and bring them to the defence 
 of those places. On the 16th the enemy attacked General Butler in 
 his position in front of Drury's Bluff. He was forced back, or drew 
 l)ack, into his intrenehments between the forks of the James and Ap- 
 pomattox Rivers, the enemy intrenching strongly in his front, thus 
 covering his raih'oads, the city, and all that was valuable to him. 
 His army, therefore, though in a position of great security, was as 
 completely shut off from further operations directly against Rich- 
 mond as if it had been in a bottle strongly corked. It required but 
 a comparatively small force of the enemy to hold it there. 
 
 On the 12tli General Kautz with his cavalry was started on a 
 raid against the Danville Railroad, which he struck at Coalfield, 
 Powhatan, and Chola Stations, destroying them, the railroad track, 
 two freight trains, and one locomotive, together with large quan- 
 tities of commissary and other stores ; thence crossing to the South 
 Side road, struck it at Wilson's, Wellsville, and Black and White 
 Stations, destroying the road and Station-houses ; thejice he proceeded 
 to City Point, which he reached on the 18th. 
 
 On the 19th of April, and prior to the movement of General 
 Butler, the enemy witli a land force under General Hoke and an 
 iron-clad ram, attacked Plymouth, K. C, commanded by General 
 H.W. Wessels, and our gunboats there, and after severe fighting the 
 place was carried by assault and the entire garrison and armament 
 captured. The gunboat Smithfield was sunk and the Miami dis- 
 abled. 
 
 The army sent to operate against Richmond having hermeti- 
 cally sealed itself up at Bermuda Hundred, the enemy was enabled 
 
16 REPORT OF LIEUTENANT-GENEKAL U. S. GRANT. 
 
 to bring the most if not all the reenforeements brought from the 
 South by Beauregard against the Army of the Potomac. In addi- 
 tion to this reenforcement, a very considerable one, probably not 
 less than 15,000 men, was obtained by calling in the scattered troops 
 under Breckinridge from the western part of Virginia. 
 
 Tlie position at Bermuda Hundred was as easy to defend as it 
 was difficult to operate from against the enemy. I determined, 
 therefore, to bring from it all available forces, leaving enough only 
 to secure what had been gained ; and accordingly, on the 22d, I 
 directed that they be sent forward, under command of Major-Gen- 
 eral W. F. Smith, to join the Army of the Potomac. 
 
 On the 2-4th of May the Ninth Army Corps, commanded by 
 Major-General A. E. Burnside, was assigned to the Army of the 
 Potomac, and from this time forward constituted a portion of Major- 
 General Meade's command. 
 
 Finding the enemy's position on the jSTorth Anna stronger than 
 either of his previous ones, I withdrew on the night of the 26th to 
 the north bank of the Kortb Anna, and moved via Hanovertown 
 to turn the enemy's position by his right. 
 
 Generals Torbert and Merritt's divisions of cavalry, under 
 Sheridan, and the Sixth Corps led the advance ; crossed the Pa- 
 munkey Kiver at Hanovertown after considerable fighting, and on 
 the 28th the two divisions of cavalry had a severe but successful 
 engagement with the enemy at Haw's shop. On the 29th and 
 30th we advanced, witli heavy skirmishing, to the Hanover Conrt- 
 House and Cold Harbor road, and developed the enemy's position 
 north of the Chickahominy. Late on the evening of the last day 
 the enemy came out and attacked our left, but was repulsed with 
 very considerable loss. An attack was immediately ordered by 
 General Meade along his whole line, which resulted in driving the 
 enemy from a joart of his intrenched skirmish line. 
 
 On the 31st General "Wilson's division of cavalry destroyed the 
 railroad bridges over the South Anna Eiver, after defeating the 
 enemy's cavalry. General Sheridan, on the same day, reached 
 Cold Harbor, and held it until relieved by the Sixth Corps and 
 General Smitli's command, which had just arrived, via White 
 House, from General Butler's army. 
 
 On the 1st day of June an attack was made at 5 p. m., by the 
 Sixth Corps and the troops under General Smith, the other corps 
 being held in readiness to advance on the receipt of orders. This 
 
EEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GKANT. 17 
 
 / 
 
 resulted in our carrying^ -rr:T holding the enemy's first line of works 
 in front of the right of the'' Sixth Corps and in front of General 
 Smith. During the attack the enemy made repeated assaults on 
 each of the corps not engaged in the main attack, but were re- 
 pulsed with heavy loss in every instance. That night he made 
 several assaults to regain what he had lost in the day, but failed. 
 The 2d was spent in getting troops into position for an attack on 
 the 3d. On the 3d of June we again assaulted the enemy's works, 
 in the hope of driving him from his position. In this attempt our 
 loss was heavy, while that of the enemy, I have reason to believe, 
 was comparatively light. It was the only general attack made 
 from the Rapidan to the James M'hich did not inflict upon the 
 enemy losses to compensate for our own losses. I would not be 
 understood as saying that all previous attacks resulted in victories 
 to our arms, or accomplished as much as I had hoped from them ; 
 but they inflicted upon the enemy severe losses, which tended, in 
 the end, to the complete overthrow of the rebellion. 
 
 From tlie proximity of the enemy to his defences around Rich- 
 mond, it was impossible by any flank movement to interpose be- 
 tween him and the city. I was still in a condition to either move 
 by his left flank and invest Richmond from the north side, or con- 
 tinue my move by his right flank to the south side of the James. 
 While the former might have been better as a covering for Wash- 
 ington, yet a full survey of all the ground satisfied me that it 
 would be impracticable to hold a line north and east of Richmond 
 that would protect the Fredericksburg Railroad — a long, vulnerable 
 line, which would exhaust much of our strength to guard, and that 
 would have to be protected to supply the army, and would leave 
 open to the enemy all his lines of communication on the south 
 side of the James. My idea, from the start, had been to beat Lee's 
 arm}^ north of Richmond if possible. Then, after destroying his 
 lines of communication north of the James River, to transfer the 
 army to the south side and besiege Lee in Richmond, or follow 
 him south if he should retreat. After the battle of the Wilderness 
 it was evident that the enemy deemed it of the first importance to 
 run no risks with thij army he then had. He acted purely on the 
 defensive behind breastworks, or feebly on the oft'ensive immedi- 
 ately in front of them, and where, in case of repulse, he could 
 easily retire behind them. Without a greater sacrifice of life than 
 I was willing to make, all could not be accomplished that I had 
 2 
 
18 EEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GEANT. 
 
 designed north of Riclimond ; I therefore determined to continue 
 to liold substantially the ground we then occupied, taking advan- 
 tage of any favorable circumstances that might present themselves, 
 until the cavalry could be sent to Charlottesville and Gordonsville 
 to eifectually break up the railroad connection between Richmond 
 and the Shenandoah Yalley and Lynchburg ; and, when the cav- 
 alry got well off, to move the army to the south side of the James 
 River, by the enemy's right flank, where I felt I could cut off all 
 his sources of supply except by- the canal. 
 
 On the Yth, two divisions of cavalry, under General Sheridan, 
 got off on the expedition against the Yirginia Central Railroad, 
 with instructions to Hunter, whom I hoped he would meet near 
 Charlottesville, to join his forces to Sheridan's, and after the work 
 laid out for them was thoroughly done, to join the Army of the 
 Potomac by the route laid down in Sheridan's instructions. 
 
 On the 10th of June, General Butler sent a force of infantry 
 under General Gillmore, and cavalry under General Kautz, to 
 capture Petersburg if possible, and destroy the railroad and com- 
 mon bridges across the Appomattox. The cavalry carried the 
 works on the south side, and penetrated well toward the town, 
 but were forced to retire. General Gillmore finding the works 
 which he approached very strong, and deeming an assault imprac- 
 ticable, returned to Bermuda Hundred without attempting one. 
 
 Attaching great importance to the possession of Petersburg, I 
 sent back to Bermuda Hundred and City Point General Smith's 
 command by water, via the White House, to reach there in ad- 
 vance of the Army of the Potomac. This was for the express pur- 
 pose of securing Petersburg before the enemy, becoming aware of 
 our intention, could reenforce the place. 
 
 The movement from Cold Harbor commenced after dark on the 
 evening of the 12th ; one division of cavalry, under General Wil- 
 son, and the Fifth Corps crossed the Chickahominy at Long Bridge, 
 and moved out to White-Oak Swamp, to cover the crossings of the 
 other corps. The advance- corps rea,ched James River, at Wil- 
 cox's Landing and Charles City Court-House, on the night of the 
 13th. 
 
 During three long years the Armies of the Potomac and North- 
 ern Yirginia had been confronting each other. In that time they had 
 fought more desperate battles than it probably ever before fell to 
 the lot of two armies to fight, w^ithout materially changing the van- 
 
EEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT. 19 
 
 tage ground of either. The Southern press and people, with more 
 shrewdness than was disphiyed in the North, finding that they had 
 failed to capture Washington and march on to New York, as they 
 had boasted they would do, assumed that they only defended their 
 capital and Southern territory. Hence, Antietam, Gettysburg, and 
 all the other battles that had been fought, were by them set down 
 as failures on our part, and victories for them. Their army believed 
 this. It produced a morale which could only be ov^ercome by 
 desperate and continuous hard fighting. The battles of the Wil- 
 derness, Spottsylvania, North Anna, and Cold Harbor, bloody and 
 terrible as they w^ere on our side, were even more damaging to the 
 enemy, and so crippled him as to make him wary ever after of tak- 
 ing the offensive. His losses in men were probably not so great, 
 owing to the fact that we were, save in the Wilderness, almost in- 
 variably the attacking party ; and when he did attack it was in 
 the open field. The details of these battles, which for endurance 
 and Jbravery on the part of the soldiery have rarely been surpassed, 
 are given in the report of Major-General Meade, and the subordi- 
 nate reports accompanying it. 
 
 During the campaign of forty-three days, from the Rapidan to 
 the James River, the army had to be supplied from an ever-shifting 
 base, by wagons, over narrow roads, through a densely-wooded 
 country, with a lack of wharves at each new base from which to 
 conveniently discharge vessels. Too much credit cannot therefore 
 be awarded to the quartermaster and commissary departments for 
 the zeal and efiiciency displayed by them. Under the general su- 
 pervision of the chief quartermaster, Brigadier-General R. Ingalls, 
 the trains were made to occupy all the available roads between the 
 army and our water base, and but little difiiculty was experienced 
 in protecting them. 
 
 The movement in the Kanawha and Shenandoah Yalleys, under 
 General Sigel, commenced on the first of May. General Crook, 
 who had the immediate command of the Kanawha expedition, di- 
 vided his forces into two columns, giving one, composed of cavalry, 
 to General Averill. They crossed the mountains by separate routes. 
 Averill struck the Tennessee and Virginia Railroad, near Wythe- 
 ville, on the 10th, and proceeding to New River and Christians- 
 burg, destroyed the road, several important bridges and depots, in- 
 cluding New River Bridge, forming a junction with Crook at 
 Union on the 15th. General Sigel moved up the Shenandoah Val- 
 
20 REPORT OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT. 
 
 ley, met the enemy at Kew Market on the 15th, and, after a severe 
 engagement, was defeated with heavy loss, and retired behind Ce- 
 dar Creek. Not regarding the operations of General Sigel as satis- 
 factory, I asked his removal from command, and Major-General 
 Hunter was appointed to supersede him. His instructions were 
 embraced in the following despatches to Major-General H. W. Hal ■ 
 lecjv, chief of staff of the army : 
 
 "Near Spottsylvania Court-House, Va., May 20, 1864. 
 
 " The enemy are evidently relying for supplies greatly on such as are 
 brourjht over the branch road running through Staunton. On the whole, 
 therefore, I think it Avould be better for General Hunter to move in that 
 direction ; reach Staunton and Gordonsville or Charlottesville, if he does 
 not meet too much opposition. If he can hold at bay a force equal to his 
 own, he will be doing good service. % * % 
 
 " U. S. Grant, Lieutenant-General. 
 
 " Major-General H. W. Halleck." • 
 
 "Jericho Ford, Va., May 25, 18C4. 
 
 " If Hunter can possibly get to Charlottesville and Lynchburg, he 
 should do so, living on the country. The railroads and canal should be 
 destroyed beyond possibility of repairs for weeks. Completing this, he 
 could find his way back to his original base, or from about Gordonsville 
 join this army. U. S. Grant, Lieutenant-General. 
 
 " Major-General H. W. Halleck." 
 
 General Hunter immediately took up the offensive, and moving 
 up the Shenandoah Valley, met the enemy on the 5th of June at 
 Piedmont, and after a battle of ten hours routed and defeated him, 
 capturing on the held of battle 1,500 men, 3 pieces of artillery, 
 and 300 stand of small-arms. On the 8th of the same month he 
 formed a junction with Crook and Averill at Staunton, fi-om which 
 place he moved direct on Lynchburg, via Lexington, which place 
 he reached and invested on the 16th day of June. Up to this 
 time he was very successful, and but for the difficulty of taking 
 with him sufficient ordnance stores over so long a march, through 
 a hostile country, he would no doubt have captured that, to the 
 enemy an important point. The destruction of the enemy's sup- 
 plies and manufactories was very great. To meet this movement 
 under General Hunter, General Lee sent a force, perhaps equal to 
 a corps, a part of which reached Lynchburg a short time before 
 
KEPOKT OF LIEUTENAI^T-GENEKAL U. S. GRANT. 21 
 
 Hunter. After some skirmishing on the ITth and 18th, General 
 Hunter, owing to a want of ammunition to give battle, retired from 
 before the place. Unfortunately, this waiit of ammunition left him 
 no choice of route for his return but bj way of Kanawha. This 
 lost to us the use of his troops for several weeks from the defence 
 of the ITorth. 
 
 Had General Hunter moved by way of Charlottesville, instead 
 of Lexington, as his instructions contemplated, he would have been 
 in a position to have covered the Shenandoah Yalley against the 
 enemy, should the force he met have seemed to endanger it. If it 
 did not, he would have been within easy distance of the James 
 River Canal, on the main line of communication between Lynch- 
 burg: and the force sent for its defence. I have never taken ex- 
 ception to the operations of General Hunter, and am not now 
 disposed to find fault with him, for I have no doubt he acted within 
 what he conceived to be the spirit of his instructions and the 
 interests of the service. The promptitude of his movements and 
 his gallantry should entitle him to the commendation of his 
 country. 
 
 To return to the Army of the Potomac : The Second Corps 
 commenced crossing the James River on the morning of the 14th 
 by ferry-boats at Wilcox's Landing. The laying of the pontoon 
 bridge was completed about midniglit of the 14t]i, and the crossing 
 of the balance of the army was rapidly pushed forward by both 
 bridge and ferry. 
 
 After the crossing had commenced, I proceeded by steamer to 
 Bermuda Hundred to give the necessary orders for the immediate 
 capture of Petersburg. 
 
 The instructions to General Butler were verbal, and were for 
 him to send General Smith immediately, that niglit, with all the 
 troops he could give him without sacrificing the position he then 
 held. I told him that I would return at once to the Army of the 
 Potomac, hasten its crossing, and throw it forward to Petersburg 
 by divisions as rapidly as it could be done ; that we could reen- 
 fore our armies more rapidly there than the enemy could bring 
 troops against us. General Smith got off as directed, and con- 
 fronted the enemy's pickets near Petersburg before daylight next 
 morning, but for some reason, that I have never been able to satis- 
 factorily understand, did not get ready to assault his main lines 
 until near sundown. Then, with a part of his command only, he 
 
22 EEPOET OF LIEUTEKANT-GENEEAL U. S. GEANT. 
 
 made the assault, and carried the lines northeast of Petersburg 
 from the Appomattox Kiver, for a distance of over two and a half 
 miles, capturing fifteen pieces of artillery and three hundred prison- 
 ers. This was about T p. m. Between the line thus captured and 
 Petersburg there were no other works, and there was no evidence 
 that the enemy had reenforced Petersburg with a single brigade 
 from any source. The night was clear — the moon shining brightly 
 — and favorable to further operations. General Hancock, with two 
 divisions of the Second Corps, reached General Smith just after 
 dark, and offered the service of these troops as he (Smith) might 
 wish, waiving rank to the named commander, whom he naturally 
 supposed knew best the position of affairs, and what to do with the 
 troops. But instead of taking these troops, and pushing at once 
 into Petersburg, he requested General Hancock to relieve a part 
 of his line in the captured works, which was done before mid- 
 night. 
 
 By the time I arrived the next morning the enemy was in 
 force. An attack was ordered to be made at 6 o'clock that even- 
 ing by the troops under Smith and the Second and Ninth Corps. 
 It recpiired until that time for the Ninth Corps to get up and into 
 position. The attack was made as ordered, and the fighting con- 
 tinued with but little intermission until 6 o'clock the next morn- 
 ing, and resulted in our carrying the advance and some of the 
 main works of the enemy to the right (our left) of those previously 
 captured by General Smith, several pieces of artillery, and over 
 four hundred prisoners. 
 
 The Fifth Corps having got up, the attacks were renewed and 
 pei'sisted in with great vigor on the 17th and 18th, but only result- 
 ed in forcing the enemy to an interior line, from which he could 
 not be dislodged. The advantages in position gained by us were 
 very great. The army then proceeded to envelop Petersburg 
 toward the Southside Railroad, as far as possible without attacking 
 fortifications. 
 
 On the 6th the enemy, to reenforce Petersburg, withdrew 
 from a part of his intrenchment in front of Bermuda Hundred, 
 expecting, no doubt, to get troops from north of the James to take 
 the place of those withdrawn before we could discover it. General 
 Butler, taking the advantage of this, at once moved a force 
 on the railroad between Petersburg and liichmond. As soon as I 
 was apprised of the advantage thus gained, to retain it I ordered 
 
KEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENEBAL U. S. GEANT. 23 
 
 two divisions of tlie Sixth Corps, General Wright commanding, 
 that were embarking at Wilcox's Landing, nnder orders for City 
 Point, to report to General Butler, at Bermnda Hundred, of which 
 General Butler was notified, and the importance of holding a posi- 
 tion in advance of his present line urged upon him. 
 
 About 2 o'clock in the afternoon General Butler was forced 
 back to the line the enemy had withdrawn from in the morning. 
 General Wright, with his two divisions, joined General Butler on 
 the forenoon of the lYth, the latter still holding with a strong- 
 picket line the enemy's works. But instead of putting these divi- 
 sions into the enemy's works to hold them, he permitted them to 
 halt and rest some distance in the rear of his own line. Between 
 4 and 5 o'clock in the afternoon the enemy attacked and drove in 
 his pickets and reoccupied his old line. 
 
 On the night of the 20th and morning of the 21st a lodgment 
 was effected by General Butler, with one brigade of infantry, on 
 the north bank of the James, at Deep Bottom, and counected the 
 pontoon bridge with Bermuda Hundred. 
 
 On the 19th, General Sheridan, on his return from his expedi- 
 tion against the Virginia Central Railroad, arrived at the White 
 House just as the enemy's cavahy was about to attack it, and com- 
 pelled it to retire. The result of this expedition was that General 
 Sheridan met the enemy's cavalry near Trevillian Station, on the 
 morning of the 11th of June, whom he attacked, and after an ob- 
 stinate contest drove from the field in complete rout. He left his 
 dead and nearly all his wounded in our hands, and about four 
 hundred prisoners and several hundred horses. On the 12th he 
 destroyed the railroad from Trevillian Station to Louisa Court- 
 House. This occupied mitil 3 o'clock p. m,, when he advanced in 
 the direction of Gordonsville. He found the enemy reenforced by 
 infantry, behind well-constructed rifle-pits, about five miles from 
 the latter place, and too strong to successfully assault. On the ex- 
 treme right, however, his reserve brigade carried the enemy's works 
 twice, and was twice driven therefrom by infantry. iSTight closed 
 the contest, Not having sufficient ammunition to continue the en- 
 gagement, and his animals being without forage (the country 
 furnishing but inferior grazing), and hearing nothing from General 
 Hunter, he withdrew his command to the north side of the JN^orth 
 Anna, and commenced his return march, reaching White House 
 at the time before stated. After breaking up the depot at that 
 
24: REPORT OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL l^ S. GRANT. 
 
 place be moved to the James River, wliicli he reached safelj after 
 heavy fighting. He commenced crossing on the 25th, near Fort 
 Powhatan, without further molestation, and rejoined the Army 
 of the Potomac. 
 
 On the 22d, General Wilson', with his own division of cavalry 
 of the Army of the Potomac, and General Kautz's division of 
 cavalry of the Army of the James, moved against the enemy's 
 railroads south of Pichmond. Striking the Weldon Railroad at 
 Ream's Station, destroying the depot and several miles of the road 
 and the Southside road about fifteen miles from Petersbui's:, to 
 near ISTottoway Station, where he met and defeated a force of the 
 enemy's cavalry, be reached Burkesville Station on the afternoon of 
 the 23d, and from there destroyed the Danville Railroad to 
 Roanoke bridge, a distance of twenty-five miles, where he found 
 the enemy in force, and, in a position from which he could not dis- 
 lodge him. He then commenced his return march, and on the 
 28th met the enemy's cavalry in force at the Weldon Railroad 
 crossing of Stony Creek, where be bad a severe but not decisive 
 engagement. Thence he made a detour from bis left, with a view 
 of reaching Ream's Station (supposing it to be in our possession). 
 At this place he was met by the enemy's cavalry, supported by 
 infantry, and forced to retire, with the loss of bis artillery and 
 trains. In this last encounter, General Kautz, with a part of bis 
 command, became separated, and made his way into our lines. 
 General Wilson, with the remainder of bis force, succeeded in 
 crossing tlie Nottoway River and coming in safely on our left and 
 rear. The damage to the enemy in this expedition more than 
 compensated for the losses we sustained. It severed all connection 
 by railroad wdth Richmond for several weeks. 
 
 With a view of cutting the enemy's railroad from near Rich- 
 mond to the Anna Rivers and making him wary of tlie situation 
 of his army in the Shenandoah, and, in the event of failure in this, 
 to take advantage of his necessary withdrawal of troops from 
 Petersburg, to explode a mine that bad been prepared in front of 
 the Ninth Corps and assault the enemy's lines at that place; on the 
 night of the 26tb of July the Second Corps and two divisions of the 
 Cavalry corps and Kautz's cavalry were crossed to the north 
 bank of the James River and joined the force General Butler had 
 there. On the 27th the enemy was driven from his intrenched 
 position, with the loss of four pieces of artillery. On the 28tb 
 
REPORT OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U, S. GRANT. 25 
 
 our lines were extended from Deep Bottom to New Market road, 
 "but in getting this position were attacked by the enemy in heavy 
 force. The fighting lasted for several hours, resulting in consider- 
 able loss on both sides. The first object of this move having 
 failed, by reason of the very large force thrown there by tlie enemy, 
 I determined to take advantage of the diversion made by assault- 
 ing- Petersburg before he could get his force back there. One 
 division of the Second Corps was withdrawn on the night of the 
 28th, and moved during the night to the rear of the Eighteenth 
 Corps, to relieve that corps in the line, that it might be foot loose 
 in the assault to be made. The other two divisions of tlie Second 
 Corps and Sheridan's cavalry were crossed over on the night of 
 the 29th and moved in front of Petersbursi:. On the mornino; of 
 the 30th, between four and five o'clock, tlie mine was sprung, blow- 
 ing up a battery and most of a regiment, and the advance of the 
 assaulting column, formed of the Ninth Corps, immediately took 
 possession of the crater made by the explosion, and the line for 
 some distance to the right and left of it, and a detached line in 
 front of it, but for some cause failed to advance promptly to the 
 ridge beyond. Had they done this, I have every reason to believe 
 that Petersburg would have fallen. Other troops were immediately 
 pushed forward, but the time consumed in getting them up enabled 
 the enemy to rally from his surprise (which had been complete), and 
 get forces to this point for its defence. The captured line thus held 
 being untenable, and of no advantage to us, the troops were with- 
 drawn, but not without heavy loss. Thus terminated in disaster 
 what promised to be the most successful assault of the campaign. 
 
 Immediately upon the enemy's ascertaining that General Hunter 
 was retreating from Lynchburg by way of the Kanawha Kiver, 
 thus laying the Shenandoah Yalley open for I'aids into Maryland 
 and Pennsylvania, he returned northward and moved down that 
 valley. As soon as this movement of the enemy was ascertained, 
 General Hunter, who had reached the Kanawha Piver, was directed 
 to move his troops without delay, by river and railroad, to Harjjer's 
 Ferry ; but owing to the difficulty of navigation by reason of low 
 water and breaks in the railroad, great delay was experienced in get- 
 ting there. It became necessary, therefore, to find other troops to 
 check this movement of the enemy. For this purpose the Sixth 
 Corps was taken from the armies operating against Richmond, to 
 which was added the Nineteenth Corps, then fortunately beginning 
 
26 EEPORT OF LIEUTENANT-GEi^EEAL U. S. GRANT. 
 
 to arrive in Hampton Roads from the Grulf Department, under or- 
 ders issued immediately after the ascertainment of tlie result of the 
 Hed River expedition. The garrisons of Baltimore and Washing- 
 ton were at this time made up of heavy artillery regiments, hun- 
 dred-days' men, and detachments from the invalid corps. One 
 division under command of General Ricketts, of the Sixth Corps, 
 was sent to Baltimore, and the remaining two divisions of tlie Sixth 
 Corps, under General "Wright, were subsequently sent to Washing- 
 ton. On the 3d of July the enemy approached Martinsburg ; Gen- 
 eral Sigel, who was in command of our forces there, retreated 
 across the Potomac at Shephardstown ; and General Weber, com- 
 manding at Harper's Ferry, crossed the river, and occupied Mary- 
 land Heights. On the 6th the enemy occupied Hagerstown, mov- 
 ing a strong column toward Frederick City. General Wallace 
 with Ricketts' division and his own command, the latter mostly 
 new and undisciplined troops, pushed out from Baltimore with 
 great promptness, and met the enemy in force on the Monocacy, 
 near the crossing of the railroad bridge. His force was not suffi- 
 cient to insure success, but he fought the enemy nevertheless, and 
 although it resulted in a defeat to our arms, yet it detained the 
 enemy and thereby served to enable General Wright to reach 
 Washington with two divisions of the Sixth Corps, and the ad- 
 vance of the Nineteenth Corps, before him. From Monocacy the 
 enemy moved on Washington, his cavalry advance reaching Rock- 
 ville on the evening of the 10th. On the 12th a reconnoissance 
 Avas thrown out in front of Fort Stevens, to ascertain the enemy's 
 position and force. A severe skirmish ensued, in which we lost 
 about 280 in killed and wounded. The enemy's loss w^as probably 
 greater. He commenced retreating during the night. Learning 
 the exact condition of affairs at Washington, I requested by tele- 
 graph at 11.45 p. M. on the 12th the assignment of Major-General 
 H. G. AVright to the command of all the troops that could be made 
 available to operate in the field against the. enemy, and directed 
 that he should get outside of the trenches with all the force he 
 could, and push Early to the last moment. General Wright com- 
 menced the pursuit on the 13th ; on the 18th the enemy was over- 
 taken at Snicker's Ferry, on the Shenandoah, when a sharp skir- 
 mish occurred ; and on the 20th General Averill encountered and 
 defeated a portion of the rebel army at Winchester, capturing four 
 pieces of artillery and several hundred prisoners. 
 
BEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL TJ. S. GEANT. 27 
 
 Learning tliat Early was retreating south toward Lynchburg 
 or Eichinond, I directed that the Sixth and jSTineteenth Corps 
 be got back to the armies operating against Hichmond, so that 
 they might be used in a movement against Lee before the return 
 of the troops sent by him into the valley ; and that Hunter should 
 remain in the Shenandoah Yalley, keeping betw^een any force of 
 the enemy and Washington, acting on the defensive as much as 
 possible. I felt that if the enemy had any notion of returning, the 
 fact would be developed before the Sixth and Nineteenth Corps 
 could lea\^e Washington. Subsequently the Nineteenth Corps w^as 
 excepted from the order to return to the James. 
 
 About the 25th it became evident that the enemy was again 
 advancing upon Maryland and Pennsylvania, and the Sixth Corps, 
 then at Washington, was ordered back to the vicinity of Harper's 
 Ferry. The rebel force moved down the valley, and sent a raiding 
 party into Pennsylvania, which, on the 30tli, burned Chambersburg 
 and then retreated, pursued by our cavalry toward Cumberland. 
 They were met and defeated by General Kelly, and with diminish- 
 ed numbers escaped into the mountains of West Virginia. From 
 the time of the first raid the telegraph wires were frequently down 
 between Washington and City Point, making it necessary to trans- 
 mit messages a part of the way by boat. It took from twenty- 
 four to thirty-six hours to get despatches through and return an- 
 swers back ; so that often orders would be given, and then infor- 
 mation would be received showing a different state of facts from 
 those on which they w^ere based, causing a confusion and apparent 
 contradiction of orders that must have considerably embarrassed 
 those who had to execute them, and rendered operations against 
 the enemy less effective than they otherwise would have been. 
 To remedy this evil, it was evident to my mind that some person 
 should have the supreme command of all the forces in the Depart- 
 ments of West Virginia, Washington, Susquehanna, and the Mid- 
 dle Department, and I so recommanded. 
 
 On the 2d of August I ordered General Sheridan to report in 
 person to Major-General Halleck, chief of staff, at Washington, 
 with a view to his assignment to the command of all the forces 
 against Early. At tliis time the enemy was concentrated in the 
 neighborhood of Winchester, while our forces, under General 
 Hunter, were concentrated on the Monocacy, at the crossing of the 
 Baltimore and Ohio Eailroad, leaving open to the enemy Western 
 
28 KEPORT OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. 8. GRANT. 
 
 Maryland and Southern Pennsylvania. From where I was I hesi- 
 tated to give positive orders for the movement of our forces at 
 Monocacy, lest by so doing I should expose Washington. There- 
 fore, on the 4th I left City Point to visit Hunter's command, and 
 determine for myself what was best to be done. On arrival there, 
 and after consultation with General Hunter, I issued to him the 
 following instructions : 
 
 " MoxocAcy Bridge, Md., August 5, 1864 — 8 p.m. 
 
 " General : Concentrate all your available force without delay in the 
 vicinity of Harper's Fevry, leaving only such railroad guards and garrisons 
 for public property as may be necessary. Use, in this concentrating, the 
 railroads, if by so doing time can be saved. From Harper's Ferry, if it is 
 found that the enemy has moved north of the Potomac in large force, 
 push north, following him and attacking him wherever found ; follow him, 
 if driven south of the Potomac, as long as it is safe to do so. If it is 
 ascertained that the enemy has but a small force north of the Potomac, 
 then push south with the main force, detaching under a competent com- 
 mander a sufficient force to look after the raiders, and drive them to their 
 "homes. In detaching such a force, the brigade of cavalry now en route 
 from Washington via Rockville may be taken into account. 
 
 " There are now on their way to join you three other brigades of the 
 best cavalry, numbering at least 5,000 men and horses. These will be 
 instructed, in the absence of further orders, to join you by the south side 
 of the Potomac. One brigade will probably start to-morrow. In pushing 
 up the Shenandoah Valley, where it is expected you will have to go first 
 or last, it is desirable that nothing should be left to invite the enemy to 
 return. Take all provisions, forage, and stock wanted for the use of your 
 command ; such as cannot be consumed, destroy. It is not desirable that 
 the buildings should be destroyed — they should rather be protected ; but 
 the people should be informed that, so long as an army can subsist among 
 them, recurrences of these raids must be expected, and Ave are determined 
 to stop them at all hazards. 
 
 " Bear in mind, the object is to drive the enemy south ; and to do 
 this, you want to keep him always in sight. Be guided in your course by 
 the course he takes. ■ 
 
 " Make your own arrangements for supplies of all kinds, giving regulai 
 voucliers for such as may be taken from loyal citizens in the country 
 through which you march. 
 
 " tj. S. Grant, Lieutenant-Gen eral. 
 
 " Major-General D. Hunter." 
 
 The troops were immediately put in motion, and the advance 
 reached Hallton that nio-ht. 
 
KEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S, GRANT. 29 
 
 General Hunter having, in our conversation, expressed a will- 
 ingness to be relieved from command, I telegraphed to have Gen- 
 eral Sheridan, then at Washington, sent to Harper's Ferry by the 
 morning train, with orders to take general command of all the 
 troops in the iield, and to call on General Hunter at Monocacy, 
 who would turn over to him my letter of instructions. I remained 
 at Monocacy, until General Slieridan arrived, on the morning of 
 the 6th, and, after a conference with him in relation to military 
 affairs in that vicinity, I returned to City Point by way of Wash- 
 ington. 
 
 On the seventh of August the Middle Department and the De- 
 partments of West Virginia, Washington, and Susquehanna were 
 constituted into the "Middle Military Division," and Major-Gen- 
 eral Sheridan was assigned to temporary command of the same. 
 
 Two divisions of cavalry, commanded by Generals Torbert and 
 Wilson, were sent to Sheridan from the Army of the Potomac. 
 The first reached him at Harper's Ferry about the eleventh of 
 August. 
 
 His operations during the month of August and the fore part 
 of September were both of an offensive and defensive character, 
 resulting in many severe skirmishes, principally by the cavalry, in 
 which we were generally successful, but no general engagement 
 took place. The two armies lay in such a position — the enemy on 
 the west bank of the Opequan Creek covering Winchester, and 
 our forces in front of Berrysville— that either could bring on a 
 battle at any time. Defeat to us would lay open to the enemy the 
 States of Maryland and Pennsylvania for long distances before 
 another army could be interposed to check him. Under these cir- 
 cumstances I hesitated about allowing the initiative to be taken. 
 Finally, the use of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Ches- 
 apeake and Ohio Canal, which were both obstructed by the 
 enemy, became so indispensably necessary to us, and the import- 
 ance of relieving Pennsylvania and Maryland from. continuously 
 threatened invasion was so great, that I determined the risk should 
 be taken. But fearing to telegraph the order for an attack without 
 knowing more than I did of General Sheridan's feelings as to what 
 would be the probable result, I left City Point on the fifteenth of 
 September to visit him at his headquarters, to decide, after con- 
 ference with him, what should be done. I met him at Charleston, 
 and he pointed out so distinctly how each army lay ; what he 
 
30 EErOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENEKAL U. S. GEANT. 
 
 could do the moment he was authorized, and expressed such con- 
 fidence of success, that I saw there were but two words of instruc- 
 tions necessary — Go in ! For the conveniences of forage, the 
 teams for supplying the army were kept at Harper's Ferry. I 
 asked him if he could get out his teams and supplies in time to 
 make an attack on the ensuing Tuesday morning. His reply was, 
 that he could before daylight on Monday. He was off promptly 
 to time, and I may here add that the result was such that I have 
 never since deemed it necessary to visit General Sheridan before 
 giving him orders. 
 
 Early on the morning of the 19th General Sheridan attacked 
 General Early at the crossing at the Opequan Creek, and after a 
 most sanguinary and bloody battle, lasting until 5 o'clock in the 
 evening, defeated him with heavy loss, carrying his entire position 
 from Opequan Creek to Winchester, capturing several thousand 
 prisoners and five pieces of artillery. The enemy rallied and made 
 a stand in a strong position at Fisher's Hill, where he was attacked 
 and again defeated with heavy loss on the 20th. Sheridan pur- 
 sued him with great energy through Harrisonburg, Staunton, and 
 the gaps of the Blue liidge. After stripping the Upper Yalley of 
 most of the supplies and provisions for the rebel army, he returned 
 to Strasburg, and took position on the north side of Cedar Creek. 
 
 Having received considerable reenforcements, .General Early 
 again returned to the Valley, and, on the 9th of October, his cav- 
 alry encountered ours near Strasburg, where the rebels were de- 
 feated, with the loss of eleven pieces of artillery and 350 prisoners. 
 On the night of the 18th the enemy crossed the mountains which 
 separated the branches of the Shenandoah, forded the north fork, 
 and early on the morning of the 19th, under cover of the darkness 
 and the fog, surprised and turned our left flank, and captured the 
 batteries which enfiladed our whole line. Our troops fell back 
 with heavy loss and in much confusion, but were finally rallied 
 between Middletown and l^ewtown. At this juncture General 
 Sheridan, who was at Winchester when the battle commenced, 
 arrived on the field, arranged his lines just in time to repulse a 
 heavy attack of the enemy, and immediately assuming the offen- 
 sive, he attacked in turn with great vigor. The enemy was de- 
 feated with great slaughter, and the loss of most of his artillery 
 and trains and the trophies he had captured in the morning. The 
 wreck of his army escaped during the night, and fled in the direc- 
 
EEPORT OF LIEUTENANT-GENEKAL U. S. GEANT. 31 
 
 tion of Staunton and Lynchburg. Pursuit was made to Mount 
 Jackson. Thus ended this, the enemy's last attempt to invade the 
 Korth via the Shenandoah Yalley. I was now enabled to return 
 the Sixth Corps to the Army of the Potomac, and to send one 
 division from Sheridan's army to the Army of the James, and 
 another to Savannah, Georgia, to hold Sherman's new acquisitions 
 on the sea-coast, and thus enable him to move without detaching 
 from his force for that purpose. 
 
 Reports from various sources led me to believe that the enemy 
 had detached three divisions from Petersburg to reenforce Early 
 in the Shenandoah Yalley. I therefore sent the Second Corps and 
 Gregg's division of cavalry, of the Army of the Potomac, and a 
 force of General Butler's army, on the night of the 13th of August, 
 to threaten Pichmond from the north side of the James, to prevent 
 hira from sending troops away, and, if possible, to draw back those 
 sent. In this move we captured six pieces of artillery and several 
 hundred prisoners, detained troops that were under marching 
 orders, and ascertained that but one division (Kershaw's) of the 
 three reputed detached, had gone. 
 
 The enemy having withdrawn heavily from Petersburg to resist 
 this movement, the Fifth Corps, General Warren commanding, 
 was moved out on the 18tli and took possession of the Weldon 
 Railroad. During the day he had considerable fighting. To re- 
 gain possession of the road, the enemy made repeated and desper- 
 ate assaults, but was each time repulsed with great loss. On the 
 night of the 20th the troops on the north side of the James were 
 withdrawn, and ITancook and Gregg returned to the front at 
 Petersburg. On the 25th the Second Corps and Gregg's division 
 of cavalry, while at Ream's Station destroying the railroad, were 
 attacked, and after desperate fighting, a part of our line gave way, 
 and five pieces of artillery fell into the hands of the enemy. 
 
 By the 12tli of September a branch railroad was completed 
 from the City Point and Petersburg Railroad to the Weldon Rail- 
 road, enabling us to supply, without difficulty, in all weather, the 
 army in front of Petersburg. 
 
 The extension of our lines across the "Weldon Railroad . com- 
 pelled the enemy to so extend his that it seemed he could have but 
 few troops north of the James for the defence of Richmond. On 
 the night of the 28th the Tenth Corps, Major-General Birney, and 
 the Eighteenth Corps, Major-General Ord commanding, of Gen- 
 
32 EEPOKT OF LIEUTEKANT-GENERAL U. S, GRANT. 
 
 eral Butler's army, were crossed to the north side of the James, 
 and advanced on the morning of the 29th, carrying the very 
 strong fortifications and intrenchments below Chapin's Farm, 
 known as Fort Harrison, capturing fifteen pieces of artillery, and 
 the New Market road and intrenchments. This success was fol- 
 lowed up by a gallant assault upon Fort Gillmore, immediately in 
 front of the Chapin Farm fortifications, in which we were repulsed 
 M'ith heavy loss. Kautz's cavalry was pushed forward on the road 
 to the right of this, supported by infantry, and reached the enemy's 
 inner line, but was unable to get further. The position captured 
 from the enemy was so threatening to Richmond that I determined 
 to hold it. The enemy made several desperate attempts to dislodge 
 us, all of Mdiich were unsuccessful, and for which he paid dearly. 
 On the morning of the 30th General Meade sent out a reconnois- 
 sance, with a view to attacking the enemy's line if it was found 
 sufficiently weakened by withdrawal of troops to the north side. 
 In this reconnoissance we captured and held the enemy's works 
 near Poplar Spring church. In the afternoon troops moving to 
 get to the left of the point gained were attacked by the enemy in 
 heavy force, and compelled to fall back until supported by the 
 force's holding the captured works. Our cavalry under Gregg was 
 also attacked, but repulsed the enemy with great loss. 
 
 On the 7ih. of October the enemy attacked Kautz's cavalry 
 north of the James, and drove it back with heavy loss in killed, 
 wounded, and prisoners, and the loss of all the artillery — eight or 
 nine pieces. This he followed up by an attack on our intrenched 
 infantry line, but was repulsed with severe slaughter. On the 13th 
 a reconnoissance was sent out by General Butler, with a view to 
 drive the enemy from some new works he was constructing, which 
 resulted in very heavy loss to us. 
 
 On the 27th the Army of the Potomac, leaving only sufficient 
 men to hold its fortified line, moved by the enemy's right flank. 
 The Second Corps, followed by two divisions of the Fifth Corps, 
 with the cavalry in advance and covering our left flank, forced a 
 passage of Hatcher's Run, and moved up the south side of it 
 toward the South Side Railroad, until the Second Corps and part 
 of the cavalry reached the Boydton plank road where it crosses 
 Hatcher's Run. At this point we were six miles distant from the 
 South Side Railroad, which I had hoped by this movement to reach 
 and hold. But finding; that we had not reached the end of the 
 
EEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT. 33 
 
 enemy's fortiiications, and no place presenting itself for a successful 
 assault by wbicli lie iniglit be doubled up and shortened, I deter- 
 mined to withdraw to within our fortified line. Orders were given 
 accordingly. Immediately upon receiving a report that General 
 Warren had connected with General Hancock, I retnrned to my 
 headquarters. Soon after I left, the enemy moved out across 
 Hatcher's Run, in the gap between Generals Hancock and Warren, 
 which was not closed as reported, and made a desperate attack on 
 General Hancock's right and rear. General Hancock immediately 
 faced his corps to meet it, and after a bloody combat drove the 
 enemy within his works, and withdrew that night ta his old 
 position. 
 
 In support of this movement General Butler made a demon- 
 stration on the north side of the James, and attacked the enemy 
 on the Williamsburg road, and also on the York Siver Railroad. 
 In the former he was unsuccessful ; in the latter he succeeded in 
 carrying a work which was afterwards abandoned, and his forces 
 withdrawn to their former positions. 
 
 From this time forward the operations in front of Petersburg 
 and Richmond, until the spring campaign of 1865, were confined 
 to the defence and extension of our lines, and to oftensive move- 
 ments for crippling the enemy's lines of communication, and to 
 prevent his detaching any considerable force to send south. By 
 the 7th of February our lines were extended to Hatcher's Run, and 
 the Weldon Railroad had been destroyed to Hicksford. 
 
 General Sherman moved from Chattanooga on the 6th of May, 
 with the Armies of the Cumberland, Tennessee, and Ohio, com- 
 manded, respectively, by Generals Thomas, McPherson, and Scho- 
 field, upon Johnston's army at Dalton; but finding the enemy's 
 positions at Buzzard Roost, covering Dalton, too strong to be 
 assaulted. General McPherson was sent througli Snake Gap to 
 turn it, whilst Generals Thomas and Schoficld threatened it in 
 front and on the north. This movement was successful. John- 
 ston, finding his retreat likely to be cut oft', fell back to his fortified 
 position at Resaca, where he was attacked on the afternoon of May 
 15th. A heavy battle ensued. During tbe night the enemy re- 
 treated south. Late on the lYth his rear guard was overtaken 
 near Adairsville, and heavy skirmishing followed. The next morn- 
 ing, however, he had again disappeared. He Avas vigorously pur- 
 sued and was overtaken at Cassville on tlie 19th, but during the 
 3 
 
34 EEPOKT OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GEANT. 
 
 ensuing niglit retreated across tlie Etowali, Whilst these opera- 
 tions were going on, General Jefferson C. Davis's division of 
 Thomas's army was sent to Eome, capturing it with its forts and 
 artillery, and its valuable mills and foundries. General Sherman, 
 having given his army a few days' rest at this point, again put it 
 in motion on the 23d for Dallas, witli a view of turning the diffi- 
 cult pass at Allatoona. On the afternoon of the 25tli the advance 
 under General Hooker had a severe battle with the enemy, driving 
 him back to J^ew Hope Church, near Dallas. Several sharp en- 
 counters occurred at this point. The most important was on the 
 28th, when the enemy assaulted General McPherson at Dallas, but 
 received a terrible and bloody repulse. 
 
 On the 4th of June Johnston abandoned his intrenched position 
 at Kew Hope Church, and retreated to the strong positions of 
 Kenesaw, Pine, and Lost Mountains. He was forced to yield the 
 two last-named places and concentrate his army on Kenesaw, where, 
 on the 27th, Generals Thomas and McPherson made a determined 
 but unsuccessful assault. On the night of the 2d of July Sherman 
 commenced moving his army by the right flank, and on the morn- 
 ing of the 3d found that the enemy, in consequence of this move- 
 ment, had abandoned Kenesaw and retreated across the Chatta- 
 hoochee. 
 
 General Sherman remained on the Chattahoochee to give his 
 men rest and get up stores until the lYtli of July, when he resumed 
 his operations, crossed the Chattahoochee, destroyed a large portion 
 of the railroad to Augusta, and drove the enemy back to Atlanta. 
 At this place General Hood succeeded General Johnston in com- 
 mand of the rebel army, and, assuming the offensive-defensive 
 policy, made several severe attacks upon Sherman in the vicinity 
 of Atlanta, the most desperate and determined of which was on 
 the 22d of July. About 1 p. m. of this day the brave, accom- 
 plished, and noble-hearted McPherson was killed. General Logan 
 succeeded him, and couimanded the Army of the Tennessee through 
 this desperate battle, and until he was superseded by Major-Gen- 
 eral Howard, on the 26th, with the same success and ability that 
 had characterized him in the command of a corps or division. 
 
 In all these attacks the enemy was repulsed with great loss. 
 Finding it impossible to entirely invest the place, General Sherman, 
 after securing his line of communications across the Chattahoochee, 
 moved his main force round by the enemy's left flank upon the 
 
REPOKT OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT. 35 
 
 Montgomery and Macon roads, to draw tlie enemy from his forti- 
 Hcations. In this he succeeded, and, after defeating the enemy 
 near Rough and Ready, Jonesboro', and Lovejoy's, forcing him to 
 retreat to the south, on the 2d of September occupied Atlanta, the 
 objective point of his campaign. 
 
 About the time of this move, the rebel cavalry, under Wheeler, 
 attempted to cut his connnunications in tlie rear, but was repulsed 
 at Dalton, and driven into East Tennessee, whence it proceeded 
 west to McMinnville, Murfreesboro', and Franklin, and was finally 
 driven south of the Tennessee. The damage done by this raid was 
 repaired in a few days. 
 
 During the partial investment of Atlanta, General Rousseau 
 joined General Sherman with a force of cavalry from Decatur, 
 having made a successful raid upon the Atlanta and Montgomery 
 Railroad, and its branches near Opelika. Cavalry raids were also 
 made by Generals McCook, Garrard, and Stoneman to cut the re- 
 maining railroad communication with Atlanta. The first two 
 were successful — the latter disastrous. 
 
 General Sherman's movement from Chattanooga to Atlanta 
 was prompt, skilful, and brilliant. The history of his flank move- 
 ments and battles during that memorable campaign will ever be 
 read with an interest unsurpassed by any thing in history. 
 
 His own report, and those of his subordinate commanders ac- 
 companying it, give the details of that most successful campaign. 
 
 Pie was dependent for the supply of his armies upon a single- 
 track railroad from Nashville to the point where he was operating. 
 This passed the entire distance through a hostile country, and every 
 foot of it had to be protected by troops. The cavalry force of the 
 enemy under Forrest, in Northern Mississippi, was evidently wait- 
 ing for Sherman to advance far enough into the mountains of Geor- 
 gia to make a retreat disastrous, to get upon his line and destroy it 
 beyond the possibility of further use. To guard against this dan- 
 ger, Sherman left what he supposed to be a sufficient force to oper- 
 ate against Forrest in West Tennessee. He directed General 
 Washburn, who commanded there, to send Brigadier-General S. 
 D. Sturgis in command of this force to attack him. On the morn- 
 ing of the 10th of June General Sturgis met the enemy near Gun- 
 town, Mississippi, was badly beaten, and driven back in utter rout 
 and confusion to Memphis, a distance of about one hundred miles, 
 hotly pursued by the enemy. By this, however, the enemy was 
 
36 EEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENEKAL U. S. GEANT. 
 
 defeated in his designs upon Sherman's line of communications. 
 The persistency with which he followed up this success exhausted 
 him, and made a season for rest and repairs necessary. In the 
 mean time Major-General A. J. Smith, with the troops of the Army 
 of the Tennessee that had been sent by General Sherman to General 
 Banks, arrived at Memphis on their return from Eed Kiver, where 
 they had done most excellent service. He was directed by General 
 Sherman to immediately take the offensive against Forrest. This 
 he did with the promptness and effect which has characterized his 
 whole military career. On the 14:t]i of July he met the enemy at 
 Tupelo, Mississippi, and whipped him badly. The fighting con- 
 tinued through three days. Our loss was small compared with 
 that of the enemy. Having accomplished the object of his expedi- 
 tion. General Smith returned to Memphis. 
 
 During the months of March and April this same force under 
 Forrest annoyed us considerably. On tlie Sith of March it cap- 
 tured Union City, Kentucky, and its garrison, and on the 24th 
 attacked Paducah, commanded by Colonel S. G. Hicks, Fortieth 
 Illinois Yolunteers. Colonel H., having but a small force, with- 
 drew to the forts near the river, from where he repulsed the enemy 
 and drove him from the place. 
 
 On the 13th of April part of this force, under tlie rebel General 
 Buford, summoned the garrison of Columbus, Kentucky, to surren- 
 der, but received for reply from Colonel Lawrence, Thirty-fourth 
 New Jersey Yolunteers, that, being placed there by his Govern- 
 ment, with adequate force to hold his post and repel all enemies 
 from it, surrender was out of the question. 
 
 On the morning of the same day Forrest attacked Fort Pillow, 
 Tennessee, garrisoned by a detachment of Tennessee cavalry and 
 the First Kegiment Alabama colored troops, commanded by Major 
 Booth. The garrison fought bravely until about 3 o'clock in the 
 afternoon, when the enemy carried the works by assault ; and, 
 after our men threw down their arms, proceeded to an inhuman 
 and merciless massacre of the garrison. 
 
 On the 14th, General Buford, having failed at Columbus, ap- 
 peared before Paducah, but was again driven off'. 
 
 Guerrillas and raiders, seemingly emboldened by Forrest's 
 operations, were also very active in Kentucky. The most noted 
 of these was Morgan. With a force of from two to three thousand 
 cavalry he entered the State through Pound Gap in the latter part 
 
EEPORT OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT. • 37 
 
 of May. On the lltli of June lie attacked and captured Cyntliiana, 
 with its entire garrison. On the 12th he was overtaken by General 
 Burbridge, and completely routed with heavy loss, and was finally 
 driven out of the State. This notorious guerrilla was afterwards 
 surprised and killed near Greenville, Tennessee, and his command 
 captured and dispersed by General Gillem, 
 
 In the absence of official reports at the commencement of the 
 Red River expedition, except so far as relates to the movements of 
 the troops sent by General Sherman under A. J. Smith, I am 
 nnable to give the date of its starting. The troops under General 
 Smith, comprising two divisions of the Sixteenth and a detachment 
 of the Seventeenth Army Corps, left Vicksbnrg on the 10th of 
 March and reached the designated point on Red River one day 
 earlier than that appointed by General Banks. The rebel forces at 
 Fort De Russey, thinking to defeat him, left the fort on the 14th to 
 give him battle in the open field ; but, while occupying the enemy 
 with skirmishing and demonstrations. Smith pushed forward to 
 Fort De Russey, which had been left with a weak garrison, and 
 captured it with its garrison — about 350me7i, 11 pieces of artillery, 
 and many small-arms. Our loss was but slight. On the 15th he 
 pushed forward to Alexandria, which place he reached on the 18th. 
 On the 21st he had an engagement with the enemy at Henderson 
 Hill, in which he defeated him, capturing 210 prisoners and 4 
 pieces of artillery. 
 
 On the 28th he again attacked and defeated the enemy under 
 the rebel General Taylor, at Cane River. By the 26tli General 
 Banks had assembled his whole army at Alexandria and pushed 
 forward to Grand Ecore. On the morning of April Gtli he 
 moved from Grand Ecore. On the afternoon of the 7th his 
 advance engaged the enemy near Pleasant Hill and drove him 
 from the field. On the same afternoon the enemy made a stand 
 eight miles beyond Pleasant Hill, but was again compelled to 
 retreat. On the 8th, at Sabine Cross-Roads and Peach Hill, 
 the enemy attacked and defeated his advance, capturiug nineteen 
 pieces of artillery and an immense am omit of transportation and 
 stores. During the night General Banks fell back to Pleasant 
 Hill, where another battle was fought on the 9th, and the enemy 
 repulsed with great loss. During the night General Banks con- 
 tinued his retrograde movement to Grand Ecore, and thence to 
 Alexandria, wliicli he reached on the 27th of April. Here a seri- 
 
38 KEPOKT OF LIEUTENANT-GENEKAL U. S. GRANT. 
 
 ous difficulty arose in getting Admiral Porter's fleet, wliicli accom- 
 panied the expedition, over tlie rapids, the water having fallen so 
 much since thej passed up as to prevent their return. At the 
 suggestion of Colonel (now Brigadier-General) Bailey, and under-his 
 superintendence, wing-dams were constructed, by which the chan- 
 nel was contracted so that the fleet passed down the rapids in safety. 
 
 The army evacuated Alexandria on the 14th of May, after con- 
 siderable skirmishing with the enemy's advance, and reached 
 Morganzia and Point Coupee near the end of the month. The 
 disastrous termination of this expedition, and the lateness of the 
 season, rendered impracticable the carrying out of my plan of a 
 movement in force sufficient to insure the capture of Mobile, 
 
 On the 23d of March, Major-General Steele left Little Eock 
 with the Seventh Army Corps to cooperate with General Banks's 
 expedition on Red River, and reached Arkadelphia on the 28th. 
 On the 16th of April, after driving the enemy before him, he was 
 joined, near Elkin's Ferry, in Washita County, by General Thayer, 
 who had marched from Fort Smith. After several severe skir- 
 mishes, in which the enemy was defeated, General Steele reached 
 Camden, which he occupied about the middle of April. 
 
 On learning the defeat and consequent retreat of General 
 Banks on Red River, and the loss of one of his own trains at Mark's 
 mill, in Dallas County, General Steele determined to fall back to 
 the Arkansas River. He left Camden on the 26th of April, and 
 reached Little Rock on the 2d of May. On the 30th of April, the 
 enemy attacked him while crossing Saline River at Jenkins's Ferry, 
 but was repulsed with considerable loss. Our loss was about 600 
 in killed, wounded, and prisoners. 
 
 Major-General Canby, who had been assigned to the command 
 of the " Military Division of the West Mississippi," was therefore 
 directed to send the Nineteenth Army Corps to join the armies 
 operating against Richmond, and to limit the remainder of his 
 command to such operations as might be necessary to hold the 
 positions and lines of communications he then occupied. 
 
 Before starting General A. J. Smith's troops back to Sherman, 
 General Canby sent a part of it to disperse a force of the enemy 
 that was collecting near the Mississippi River. General Smith 
 met and defeated this force near Lake Chicot on the 5th of June. 
 Our loss was about forty killed and seventy wounded. 
 
 In the latter part of July General Canby sent Major-General 
 
PvEPORT OF LIEUTEJiTANT-GENEEAL U. S. GRANT. 39 
 
 Gordon Granger, with sneh forces as he could collect, to cooperate 
 with Admiral Farragut against the defences of Mobile Bay. On 
 the 8th of August Fort Gaines surrendered to the combined naval 
 and land forces. Fort Powell was blown up and abandoned. 
 
 On the 9th, Fort Morgan was invested, and, after a severe 
 bombardment, surrendered on the 23d. The total captures 
 amounted to 1,464 prisoners, and 104 pieces of artillery. 
 
 About the last of August, it being reported that the rebel Gen- 
 eral Price, with a force of about 10,000 men, had reached Jackson- 
 port, on his way to invade Missouri, General A. J. Smith's com- 
 mand, then en route from Memphis to join Sherman, was ordered 
 to Missouri. A cavalry force was also, at the same time, sent 
 from Memphis, under command of Colonel Winslow. This made 
 General Rosecrans's forces superior to those of Price, and no doubt 
 was entertained he would be able to check Price and drive him 
 back ; while the forces under General Steele, in Arkansas, would 
 cut ofi' his retreat. On the 26th day of September Price attacked 
 Pilot Knob and forced the garrison to retreat, and thence moved 
 north to the Missouri Piver, and continued up that river toward 
 Kansas. General Curtis, commanding department of Kansas, im- 
 mediately collected such forces as he could to repel the invasion of 
 Kansas, while General Posecrans's cavalry was operating in his rear. 
 
 The enemy was brought to battle on the Big Blue and defeat- 
 ed, with the loss of nearly all his artillery and trains and a large 
 number of prisoners. He made a precipitate retreat to Northern 
 Arkansas. The impunity with which Price was enabled to roam 
 over the State of Missouri for a long time, and the incalculable 
 mischief done by him, shows to how little purpose a superior force 
 may be used. There is no reason why General Rosecrans should 
 not have concentrated his forces, and beaten and driven Price be- 
 fore the latter reached Pilot Knob. 
 
 September 20th, the enemy's cavalry, under Forrest, crossed 
 the Tennessee near Waterloo, Alabama, and on the 23d attacked 
 the garrison at Athens, consisting of six hundred men, which capit- 
 ulated on the 24th. Soon after the surrender two regiments of 
 reenforcements arrived, and after a severe light were compelled to 
 surrender. Forrest destroyed the railroad westward, captured the 
 garrison at Sulphur Branch trestle, skirmished with the garrison at 
 Pulaski on the 27th, and on the same day cut the IN^ashville and 
 Chattanooga Railroad near Tullahoma and Dochard. On the morn- 
 
40 EEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GEANT. 
 
 iiig of tlie SOtli one column of Forrest's command, under Buford, 
 appeared before Iluntsville, and summoned tlie surrender of the 
 garrison. Receiving an answer in the negative, he remained in the 
 vicinity of the place until next morning, when he again summoned 
 its surrender, and received the same reply as on the night before. 
 He withdrew in the direction of Athens, whicb place had been re- 
 garrisoned, and attacked it on the afternoon of the 1st of October, 
 but without success. On tlie morning of the 2d he renewed his at- 
 tack, but was handsomely repulsed. 
 
 Another column under Forrest appeared before Columbia on 
 the morning of the 1st, but did not make an attack. On the morn- 
 ino; of the 3d he moved toward Mount Pleasant. While these 
 operations were going on, every exertion was made by General 
 Thomas to destroy the forces under Forrest before he could recross 
 the Tennessee, bnt was unable to prevent his escape to Corinth, 
 Mississippi. 
 
 In September, an expedition under General Burbridge ^A'as sent 
 to destroy the salt works at Saltville, Virginia. He met the enemy 
 on the 2d of October, about three miles and a half I'rom Saltville, 
 and drove him into his strongly intrenched position around the 
 salt works, from which he was unable to dislodge him. During 
 the night he withdrew his command and returned to Kentucky. 
 
 General Sherman, immediately after the fall of Atlanta, put his 
 armies in camp in and about the place, and made all preparations 
 for refitting and supplying them for future service. TJie great 
 lengtli of road from Atlanta to the Cumberland River, however^ 
 which had to be guarded, allowed the troops but little rest. 
 
 During this time Jeiferson Davis made a speech in Macon, 
 Georgia, which was reported in the papers of the South, and soon 
 became known to the whole country, disclosing the plans of the 
 enemy, thus enabling General Sherman to fully meet them. He 
 exhibited the weakness of supposing that an army that had been 
 beaten and fearfully decimated in a vain attempt at the defensive, 
 could successfully undertake tlie ■ oftensive against tlie army that 
 had so often defeated it. 
 
 In execution of this plan. Hood, Avith his army, was soon re- 
 ported to the southwest of Atlanta. Moving far to Sherman's 
 right, he succeeded in reaching the railroad about Big Shanty, and 
 moved north on it. 
 
 General Sherman, leaving a force to hold Atlanta, with the 
 
EEPOKT OF LIEUTENANT-GENEEAL U. S. GRANT. 41 
 
 remainder of his army fell upon liim and drove him to Gadston, 
 Alabama. Seeing the constant annoyance he would have with the 
 roads to his rear if he attempted to hold Atlanta, General Sherman 
 proposed the abandonment and destruction of that place, with all 
 the railroads leading to it, and telegraphed me as follows : 
 
 " Centeeville, Ga., October 10 — noon. 
 " Despatch about Wilson just received. Hood is now crossing Coosa 
 River, twelve miks below Rome, bound west. If be passes over tlie Mobile 
 and Ohio road, bad I not better execute the plan of my letter sent by Colonel 
 Porter, and leave General Thomas, with the troops nov/ in Tennessee, to 
 defend the State ? He will have an ample force when the reenforcements 
 ordered reach Nashville. 
 
 " "W. T. Sherman, Major-General. 
 " Lieutenant-General Grant." 
 
 For a full understanding of the plan referred to in this despatch, 
 1 quote from the letter sent by Colonel Porter : " I will therefore give 
 my opinion, that your army and Canby's should be reenforccd to 
 the maximum ; that after you get Wilmington, you strike for Sa- 
 vannah and the river ; that Canby be instructed to hold the Mis- 
 sissippi River, and send a force to get Columbus, Georgia, either by 
 the way of the Alabama or the Appalachicola, and that I keep 
 Hood employed and put my army in final order for a march on 
 Augusta, Columbia, and Charleston, to be ready as soon as Wil- 
 mington is sealed as to commerce, and the city of Savannah is in 
 our possession." This was in reply to a letter of mine of date Sep- 
 tember 12th, in answer to a despatch of his containing substantially 
 the same proposition, and in which I informed him of a proposed 
 movement against Wilmington, and of the situation in Virginia, 
 etc. 
 
 " City Poist, Va., October il, 1804—11 a. m. 
 "Your despatch of October lOtb received. Does it not look as if Hood 
 was going to attempt tbe invasion of Middle Tennessee, using tbe Mobile 
 and Ohio and Memphis and Charleston roads to supply bis base on tbe 
 TennessoG River, about Florence or Decatur? If be does this, be ought to 
 be met and prevented from getting north of the Tennessee River. If you 
 were to cut loose, I do not believe you would meet Hood's army, but would 
 be bushwhacked by all the old men and little boys, and such railroad 
 guards as are still left at home. Hood would probably strike for Nashville, 
 thinking that by going north he could inflict greater damage upon us than 
 
42 EEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENEKAL U. S. GEANT. 
 
 we could upon the rebels by going south. If there is any Avay of getting 
 at Hood's army I would prefer that ; but I must trust to your own judg- 
 ment. I find I shall not be able to send a force from here to act with you 
 on Savannah. Tour movements, therefore, will be independent of mine ; 
 at least until the fall of Richmond takes place. I am afraid Thomas, with 
 such lines of road as he has to protect, could not prevent Hood from going 
 north. With Wilson turned loose, Avith all your cavalry, you will find the 
 rebels put much more on the defensive than heretofore. 
 
 " U. S. Grant, Lieutenant-Gcneral. 
 " Major-General W. T. Sherman." 
 
 "Kingston, Ga., October 11 — 11 a. m. 
 
 " Hood moved his army from Palmetto Station across by Dallas and 
 Cedartown, and is now on the Coosa River, south of Rome. He threw 
 one corps on my road at Acworth, and I was forced to follow. I hold 
 Atlanta with the Twentieth Corps, and have "strong detachments along my 
 line. This reduces ray active force to a comparatively small army. We 
 cannot remain here on the defensive. With the 25,000 men, and the bold 
 cavalry he has, he can constantly break my roads. I would infinitely pre- 
 fer to make a wreck of the road, and of the country from Chattanooga to 
 Atlanta, including the latter city — send back all my wounded and worth- 
 less, and, Avith my eff'ective army, move through Georgia, smashing things, 
 to the sea. Hood may turn into Tennessee and Kentucky, but I believe 
 he will be forced to follow me. Instead of my being on the defensive, I 
 Avould be on the offensive ; instead of guessing at Avhat he means to do, he 
 would have to gness at my plans. The difference in war is full tAventy-five 
 per cent. I can make Savannah, Charleston, or the mouth of the 
 Chattahoochee. 
 
 " Answer quick, as I know we will not have the telegraph long. 
 
 " W. T. Sherman, Major-General. 
 
 " Lieutenant-General Grant. 
 
 " City Point, Va., October 11, 1864—11:30 p. m. 
 " Your despa'ch of to-day received. If you are satisfied the trip to 
 the sea-coast can be made, holding the line of the Tennessee River firmly, 
 you may make it, destroying all the railroad south of Dalton or Chatta- 
 nooga, as you think best. 
 
 " U. S. Grant, Lieutenant-General. 
 
 "Major-General W. T. Sherman." 
 
 It was the original design to hold Atlanta, and by getting 
 through to the coast, with a garrison left on the southern railroads, 
 leading east and west, through Georgia, to eifectually sever the 
 
EEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT. 43 
 
 east from the west. In other words, cut the would-be Confed- 
 eracy in two again, as it had been cut once by our gaining pos- 
 session of the Mississippi River. General Sherman's plan virtually 
 efltected this object. 
 
 General Sherman commenced at once his preparations for his 
 proposed movement, keeping his army in position in the mean time 
 to watch Hood. Becoming satisfied that Hood had moved west- 
 ward from Gadsden across Sand Mountain, General Sherman sent 
 the Fourth Corps, Major-General Stanley commanding, and the 
 Twenty-third Corps, Major-General Schofield commanding, back 
 to Chattanooga to report to Major-General Thomas, at I^ashville, 
 whom he had placed in command of all the troops of his military 
 division, save the four army corps and cavalry division he designed 
 to move with through Georgia. With the troops thus left at his 
 disposal, there was little doubt that General Thomas could hold 
 the line of the Tennessee, or, in the event Hood should force it, 
 would be able to concentrate and beat him in battle. It was there- 
 fore readily consented to that Sherman should start for the sea- 
 coast. 
 
 Having concentrated his troops at Atlanta by the 14th of No- 
 vemberj he commenced his march, threatening both Augusta and 
 Macon. His coming-out point could not be definitely fixed. Hav- 
 ing to gather his subsistence as he marched through the country, 
 it was not impossible that a force inferior to his own might compel 
 him to head for such point as he could reach, instead of sucli as he 
 might prefer. The blindness of the enemy, however, in ignoring 
 his movement, and sending Hood's army, the only considerable 
 force he had west of Eichmond and east of the Mississippi Eiver, 
 northward on an offensive campaign, left the whole country open, 
 and Sherman's route to his own choice. 
 
 How that campaign was conducted, how little opposition was 
 met with, the condition of the country through which the armies 
 passed, the capture of Fort McAllister, on the Savannah River, 
 and the occupation of Savannah on the 21st of December, are all 
 clearly set forth in General Sherman's admirable report. 
 
 Soon after General Sherman commenced his march from At- 
 lanta, two expeditions, one from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and one 
 from Vicksburg, Mississippi, were started by General Canby to cut 
 the enemy's line of communication with Mobile and detain troops 
 in that field. General Foster, commanding Department of the 
 
44 KEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT. 
 
 South, also sent an expedition, via Broad River, to destroy the 
 raih'oad between Charleston and Savannah. The expedition from 
 Vicksbiirg, under command of Brevet Brigadier-General E. ~D. 
 Osband (colonel Third United States colored cavalry), captured, 
 on the 27th of November, and destroyed the Mississippi Central 
 railroad bridge and trestle-work over Big Black Eiver, near Can- 
 ton, thirty miles of the road, and two locomotives, besides large 
 amounts of stores. The expedition from Baton Houge was without 
 favorable results. The expedition from the Department of the 
 South, under the immediate command of Brigadier-General John 
 P. Hatch, consisting of about live thousand men of all arms, in- 
 cluding a brigade from the navy, proceeded up Broad River and 
 debarked at Boyd's l^eck on the 29th of November, from w^here it 
 moved to strike the railroad at Grahamsville. At Honey Hill, 
 about three miles from Grahamsville, the enemy was found and 
 attacked in a strongly fortified position, which resulted, after severe 
 fighting, in our repulse with a loss of 746 in killed, wounded, and 
 missing. During the night General Hatch withdrew. On the 6th 
 of Deceml)er General Foster obtained a position covering the 
 Charleston and Savannah Railroad, between the Coosawatchie 
 and Taliflnny Rivers. 
 
 Hood, instead of following Sherman, continued his move north- 
 ward, wdiicli seemed to me to be leading to his certain doom. At 
 all events, had I had the power to command botli armies, I should 
 not have changed the orders under which he seemed to be acting. 
 On the twenty-sixth of October the advance of Hood's army at- 
 tacked the garrison at Decatur, Alabama, but failing to carry the 
 place, Avithdrew toward Courtland, and succeeded, in the face of 
 our cavalry, in eifecting a lodgment on the north side of the Ten- 
 nessee River, near Florence. On the 28th Forrest reached the Ten- 
 nessee, at Fort Hieman, and captured a gunboat and three trans- 
 ports. On the second of November he planted batteries above and 
 below Johnsonville, on the opposite side of the river, isolating 
 three gunboats and eight transports. On the 4th the enemy opened 
 his batteries upon the place, and was replied to from the gun- 
 boats and the garrison. The gunboats becoming disabled were set 
 on fire, as also were the transports, to prevent their falling into the 
 hands of the enem}-. About a million and a half dollars' worth 
 of stores and property on the levee and in storehouses was con- 
 sumed by fire. On the 5tli the enemy disajDpeared and crossed 
 
EEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT. 45 
 
 to tlie north side of tlie Tennessee River, above Johnson ville, mov- 
 ing toward Chfton, and subsequently joined Hood. On the night 
 of the 5th General Schofield, with the advance of the Twenty-third 
 Corps, reached Johnsonville, but finding the enemy gone, was or- 
 dered to Pulaski, and put in command of all the troops there, with 
 instructions to watch the movements of Hood and retard his ad- 
 vance, but not to risk a general engagement until the arrival of 
 General A. J. Smith's command from Missouri, and until General 
 Wilson could get his cavalry remounted. 
 
 On the 19th General Hood continued his advance. General 
 Thomas, retarding him as much as possible, fell back toward l^ash- 
 ville for the purpose of concentrating his command and gaining 
 time for the arrival of reenforcements. The enemy coming up 
 with our main force, connnanded by General Schofield, at Frank- 
 lin, on the 30th, assaulted our works repeatedly during the after- 
 noon until late at night, but were in every instance repulsed. His 
 loss in this battle was 1,750 killed, Y02 prisoners, and 3,800 
 wounded. Among his losses were six general oflicers killed, six 
 wounded, and one captured. Our entire loss was 2,300. This was 
 the first serious opposition the enemy met with, and I am satisfied 
 was the fatal blow to all his expectations. During the iiight Gen- 
 eral Schofield fell back toward Kashville. This left the field to 
 the enemy — not lost by battle, but voluntarily abandoned — so that 
 General Thomas's whole force might be brought together. The 
 enemy followed up and commenced the establishment of his line in 
 front of I^ashville on the second of December. 
 
 As soon as it was ascertained that Hood was crossing the Ten- 
 nessee River, and that Price was going out of Missouri, General 
 Rosecrans was ordered to send to General Thomas the troops of 
 General A. J. Smith's command and such other troops as he could 
 spare. The advance of this reenforcement reached Nashville on 
 the 30th of November. 
 
 On the morning of the 15th December General Thomas at- 
 tacked Hood in position, and, in a battle lasting two days, defeated 
 and drove him from the field in the utmost confusion, leavino; in 
 our hands most of his artillery and many thousand prisoners, in- 
 cluding four general ofiicers. 
 
 Before the battle of Nashville I grew very impatient over, as it 
 appeared to me, the unnecessary delay. This impatience was in- 
 creased upon learning that the enemy had sent a force of cavalry 
 
46 EEPOET OF LIEUTEJSTAJ^T-GENEEAL U. S. GEANT. 
 
 across the Cumberland into Kentucky. I feared Plood would cross 
 Lis whole army and give us great trouble there. After urging 
 upon General Thomas the necessity of immediately assuming the 
 offensive, I started west to superintend matters there in person. 
 Keaching Washington City, I received General Thomas's despatch 
 announcing his attack upon the enemy, and the result as far as the 
 battle had progressed. I was delighted. All fears and apprehen- 
 sions were dispelled. I am not yet satisfied but that General 
 Tliomas, immediately upon the appearance of Hood before Nash- 
 ville, and before he had time to fortify, should have moved out 
 with his whole force and given him battle, instead of waiting to 
 remount his cavalry, which delayed him until the inclemency of 
 the weather made it impracticable to attack earlier than he did. 
 But his final defeat of Hood was so complete that it will be accept- 
 ed as a vindication of that distinguished officer's judgment. 
 
 After Hood's defeat at Nashville he retreated, closely pursued 
 by cavalry and infantry, to the Tennessee River, being forced to 
 abandon many pieces of artillery and most of his transportation. 
 .On the 28th of December our advance forces ascertained that he 
 had made good his escape to the south side of the river. 
 
 About this time, the rains having set in heavily in Tennessee 
 and North Alabama, making it difficult to move army transporta- 
 tion and artillery. General Thomas stopped the pursuit by his main 
 force at the Tennessee River. A small force of cavalry, under 
 Colonel W. J. Palmer, Fifteenth Pennsylvania Yolunteers, con- 
 tinued to follow Hood for some distance, capturing considerable 
 transportation and the enemy's pontoon bridge. The details of these 
 operations will be found clearly set forth in General Thomas's 
 report. 
 
 A cavalry expedition, under Brevet Major- General Grierson, 
 started from Memphis on the 21st of December. On the 25th he 
 surprised and captured Forrest's dismounted camp at Yerona, Mis- 
 sissippi, on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, destroyed the railroad, 
 sixteen cars loaded with wagons and pontoons for Hood's army, 
 4,000 new English carbines, and large amounts of public stores. 
 On the morning of the 28th he attacked and captured a force of 
 the enemy at Egypt, and destroyed a train of fourteen cars ; thence 
 turning to the southwest, he struck the Mississippi Central Rail- 
 road at Winona, destroyed the factories and large amounts of stores 
 at Bankston, and the machine shops and public property at Gre- 
 nada, arriving at Yicksburg January 5th. 
 
KEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GKANT. 47 
 
 During tliese operations in Middle Tennessee, the enemy, with 
 a force nnder General Breckinridge, entered East Tennessee. On 
 the 13th of November, he attacked General Gillem, near Morris- 
 town, capturing his artillery and several hundred prisoners, Gillem, 
 with what was left of his command, retreated to Knoxville. Fol- 
 lowing up his success, Breckinridge moved to near Knoxville, but 
 withdrew on the 18th, followed by General AmmeiL Under the 
 directions of General Thomas, General Stoneman concentrated the 
 commands of Generals Burbridge and Gillem near Bean's Station, 
 to operate against Breckinridge, and destroy or drive him into 
 Yirginia— destroy the salt works at Saltville, and the railroad into 
 Yirginia as far as he could go without endangering his command. 
 On the 12th of December he commenced his movement, capturing 
 and dispersing the enemy's force wherever he met them. On the 
 16tli he struck the enemy, under Yaugn, at Marion, completely 
 routing and pursuing him to Wytheville, capturing all his artillery, 
 trains, and one hundred and ninety-eight prisoners ; and destroyed 
 "Wytheville, with its stores and supplies, and the extensive lead- 
 works near there. Returning to Marion, he met a force under 
 Breckinridge, consisting, among other troops, of the garrison of 
 Saltville, that had started in pursuit. He at once made arrange- 
 ments to attack it the next morning ; but morning found Breckin- 
 ridge gone. . He then moved directly to Saltville, and destroyed 
 the extensive salt-works at that place, a large amount of stores, 
 and captured eight pieces of artillery. Having thus successfully 
 executed his instructions, he returned General Burbridge to Lex- 
 ington and General Gillem to Knoxville. 
 
 Wilmington, North Carolina, was the most important sea-coast 
 port left to the enemy through which to get supplies from abroad, 
 and send cotton and other products out by blockade-runners, be- 
 sides being a place of great strategic value. The navy had been 
 making strenuous exertions to seal the harbor of Wilmington, but 
 with only partial effect. The nature of the outlet of Cape Fear 
 River was such that it required watching for so great a distance 
 that, without possession of the land north of New Inlet, or Fort 
 Fisher, it was impossible for the navy to entirely close the harbor 
 against the entrance of blockade-runners. 
 
 To secure the possession of this land required the cooperation 
 of a land force, which I agreed to furnish. I immediately com- 
 menced the assemblage in Hampton Roads, under Admiral D. D. 
 
48 EEPORT OF LIEUTENANT-GEN EKAL U. S. GEANT. 
 
 Porter, of the most formidable armada ever collected for concen- 
 tration upon one given point. This necessarily attracted the 
 attention of the enemy, as well as that of the loyal ISTorth ; and 
 through the imprudence of the public press, and very likely of 
 officers of both branches of service, the exact object of the expedi- 
 tion became a subject of common discussion in the newspapers both 
 E'orth and South. The enemy, thus warned, prepared to meet it. 
 This caused a postponement of the expedition until the latter part 
 of November, when, being again called upon by Hon. Gr. Y. Fox, 
 Assistant-Secretary of the j^avy, I agreed to furnish the men 
 required at once, and went myself, in company with Major-Gen- 
 eral Butler, to Hampton Roads, where we had a conference with 
 Admiral Porter as to the force required and the time of starting. 
 A force of six thousand five hundred men was regarded as 
 sufficient. The time of starting was not definitely arranged, but 
 it was thought all Avould be ready by the 6tli of December, if not 
 before. Learning, on the 30th of N'ovember, that Bragg had gone 
 to Georgia, taking with him most of the forces about "Wilmington, 
 I deemed it of the utmost importance that the expedition should 
 reach its destination before the return of Bragg, and directed Gen- 
 eral Butler to make all arrangements for the departure of Major- 
 General Weitzel, who had been designated to command the land 
 forces, so that the navy might not be detained one moment. 
 
 On the 6th of December, the following instructions were given : 
 
 " City Point, Va., December 6, 1864. 
 « General : The first object of the expedition imder General Weitzel 
 is to close to the enemy the port of Wihnington. If successful in this, 
 the second will be to capture Wilmington itself. There are reasonable 
 grounds to hope for success, if advantage can be taken of the absence of 
 the greater part of the enemy's forces now looking after Sherman in 
 Georgia. The directions you have given for the numbers and equipment 
 of the expedition are all right, except in the unimportant matter of where 
 they embark and the amount of intrenching tools to be taken. The object 
 of the expedition Avill be gained by effecting a landing on the main land 
 between Cape Fear River and the Atlantic, north of the north entrance to 
 the river. Should such landing be eftected whilst the enemy still holds 
 Fort Fisher and the batteries guarding the entrance to the river, then the 
 troops should intrench themselves, and, by cooperating with the navy, 
 effect the reduction and capture of those places. These in our hands, the 
 navy could enter the harbor, and the port of Wilmington would be sealed. 
 Should Fort Fisher and the point of land on which it is built fall into the 
 
EEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENEKAL U. S. GEANT. 49 
 
 hands of our troops immediately on landing, then it will be worth the 
 attempt to capture Wilmington by a forced march and surprise. If time 
 is consumed in gaining the first object of the expedition, the second will 
 become a matter of after consideration. 
 
 " The. details for execution are intrusted to you and the officer imme- 
 diately in command of the troops. 
 
 " Should the troops under General Weitzel fail to eftect a landing at or 
 near 'Fort Fisher, they will be returned to the armies operating against 
 Kichmond without delay. 
 
 "U. S. Grant, Lieutenant-General. 
 
 " Major-General B. F. Butler." 
 
 General Butler, commanding the army from wliicli the troops 
 were taken for this enterprise, and the territory within which they 
 were to operate, military courtesy required that all orders and 
 instructions should go through him. They were so sent; but 
 General Weitzel has since officially informed me that he never 
 received the foregoing instructions, nor was he aware of their 
 existence until he read General Butler's published official report 
 of the Fort Fisher tailure, with my endorsement and papers ac- 
 companying it. I had no idea of General Butler's accompanying 
 the expedition until the evening before it got off from Bermuda 
 Hundreds, and then did not dream but that General Weitzel had 
 received all the instructions, and would be in command. I rather 
 formed the idea that General Butler was actuated by a desire to 
 witness the effect of the explosion of the powder-boat. The expe- 
 dition was detained several days at Hampton Roads, awaiting the 
 loading of the powder-boat. 
 
 The importance of getting the Wilmington expedition off 
 without any delay, with or without the powder-boat, had been 
 urged upon General Butler, and he advised to so notify Admiral 
 Porter. 
 
 The expedition finally got off on the 13th of December, and 
 arrived at the place of rendezvous, off New Inlet, near Fort Fisher, 
 on the evening of the 15th. Admiral Porter arrived on the even- 
 ing of the 18th, having put in at Beaufort to get ammunition for 
 the monitors. The sea becoming rough, making it difficult to land 
 troops, and the supply of water and coal being about exliausted, 
 the transport fleet put back to Beaufort to replenish ; this, with 
 the state of the weather, delayed the return to the place of rendez- 
 vous until the 24th. The jjowder-boat was exploded on the morn- 
 4 
 
50 EEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT. 
 
 ing of the 24th, before the return of General Butler from Beaufort ; 
 but it would seem,' from the notice taken of it in the Southern 
 newspapers, that tlie enemy were never enlightened as to the 
 object of the explosion until they were informed by the Northern 
 press. 
 
 On the 25th a landing was effected without opposition, and a 
 reconnoissance, under Brevet Brigadier-General Curtis, pushed up 
 toward the fort. But before receiving a full report of the result 
 of this reconnoissance. General Butler, in direct violation of the 
 instructions given, ordered the reembarkation of the troops and the 
 return of the expedition. The reembarkation Avas accomplished 
 by the morning of the 27th, 
 
 On the return of the expedition, officers and men — among them 
 Brevet Major-General (then Brevet Brigadier-General) M. R. 
 
 Curtis, First Lieutenant G, W, Ross, regiment Vermont Yol- 
 
 unteers. First Lieutenant George W. Walling, and Second Lieu- 
 tenant George Simpson, One Hundred and Forty-second Isew 
 York Yolunteers — voluntarily reported to me that when recalled 
 they were nearly into the fort, and, in their opinion, it could have 
 been taken without much loss. 
 
 Soon after the return of the expedition, I received a despatch 
 from the Secretary of the Navy, and a letter from Admiral Porter, 
 informing me that the fleet was still ofi" Fort Fisher, and express- 
 ing the conviction that, under a proper leader, the place could be 
 taken. The natural supposition with me was, that when the troops 
 abandoned the expedition the navy would do so also. Finding it 
 had not, however, I answered on the 30th of December, advising 
 Admiral Porter to hold on, and that I would send a force and make 
 another attempt to take the place. This time I selected Brevet 
 Major-General (now Major-General) A. II. Terry to conmiand the 
 expedition. The troops composing it consisted of the same that 
 composed the former, with the addition of a small brigade, num- 
 bering about 1,500, and a small siege train. The latter it was 
 never found necessary to land. I communicated direct to the 
 commander of the expedition the following instructions : 
 
 '* City Point, Va., January 3, 1865 
 
 " Genekal : The expedition intrusted to your command has been 
 
 fitted out to renew the attempt to capture Fort Fisher, N. C, and Wil- 
 
 mmgton ultimately, if the fort falls. You will then proceed with as little 
 
 delay as possible to the naval fleet lying off Cape Fear River, and report 
 
EEPOET OF LIEDTENANT-GENEEAL U. S. GRANT. 51 
 
 the arrival of yourself and command to Admiral D. D. Porter, command- 
 ing North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. 
 
 " It is exceedingly desirable that the most complete understanding 
 should exist between yourself and the naval commander. I suggest, there- 
 fore, that you consult with Admiral Porter freely, and get from him the 
 part to be performed by each branch of the public service, so that there 
 may be unity of action. It would be well to have the whole programme 
 laid down in writing. I have served with Admiral Porter, and know that 
 you can rely on his judgment and his nerve to undei'take what he proposes. 
 I would, therefore, defer to him as much as is consistent with your own 
 responsibilities. The first object to be attained is to get a firm position on 
 the spit of land on which Fort Fisher is built, from which you can operate 
 against that fort. You want to look to the practicability of receiving your 
 supplies, and to defending yourself against superior forces sent against you 
 by any of the avenues left open to the enemy. If such a position can be 
 obtained, the siege of Fort Fisher will not be abandoned until its reduction 
 is accomplished, or another plan of campaign is ordered from these 
 headquarters. 
 
 " My own views are that, if you effect a landing, the navy ought to run 
 a portion of their fleet into Cape Fear Ptiver, \yhile the balance of it 
 operates on the outside. Land forces cannot invest Fort Fisher, or cut it 
 off" from supplies or reenforcements, while the river is in the possession of 
 the enemy. 
 
 " A siege train will be loaded on vessels and sent to Fort Monroe, in 
 readiness to be sent to you if required. All other supplies can be drawn 
 from Beaufort as you need them. 
 
 " Keep the fleet of vessels with you until your position is assured. 
 When you find they can be spared, order them back, or such of them as 
 you can spare, to Fort Monroe, to report for orders. 
 
 " In case of failure to effect a landing, bring your command back to 
 Beaufort, and report to these headquarters for further instructions. You 
 will not debark at Beaufort until so directed. 
 
 " General Sheridan has been ordered to send a division of troops to 
 Baltimore, and place them on sea-going vessels. These troops will be 
 brought to Fort Monroe and kept there on the vessels until you are 
 heard from. Should you require them, they will be sent to you. 
 
 " U. S. Grant, Lieutenant-General. 
 
 " Brevet Major-General A. H. Terry." 
 
 Lieutenant-Colonel C. B. Comstock, aide-de-camp (now brevet 
 brigadier-general), who accompanied the former expedition, was 
 assigned in orders as chief engineer to this. 
 
 It will be seen that these instructions did not differ materially 
 
52 EEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GEANT. 
 
 from those given for the first expedition ; and that in neither in- 
 stance was there an order to assault Fort Fisher. This was a mat- 
 ter left entirely to the discretion of the commanding oflBcer. 
 
 The expedition sailed from Fort Monroe on the morning of 
 the 6tli, arriving on the rendezvous, off Beaufort, on the 8tli, where, 
 owing to the difficulties of the weather, it lay nntil the morning of 
 the 12th, when it got under way and reached its destination that 
 evening. Under cover of the fleet the disembarkation of the troops 
 commenced on the morning of the 13th, and hy 3 o'clock p. m. was 
 completed without loss. On the 14th a reconnoissance was pushed 
 to within five hundred yards of Fort Fisher, and a small advance 
 work taken possession of and turned into a defensive line against 
 any attempt tliat might be made from the fort. This recon- 
 noissance disclosed the fact that the front of the work had been 
 seriously injured by the navy fire. In the afternoon of the 15tli 
 the fort was assaulted, and after most desperate fighting was cap- 
 tured, with its entire garrison and armament. Thus was secured, 
 by the combined efforts of the navy and army, one of the most im- 
 portant successes of 4;he war. Our loss was : killed, one hundred 
 and ten ; w^ounded, five hundred and thirty-six. On the 16th and 
 17tli the enemy abandoned and blew up Fort Caswell and the 
 works on Smith's Island, which were immediately occupied by us. 
 This gave us entire control of tlie mouth of tlie Cape Fear River. 
 
 At my request, Major-General B. F. Butler was relieved, and 
 Major-General E. O. C. Ord assigned to the command of the De- 
 partment of Yirginia and Nortli Carolina. 
 
 The defence of the line of the Tennessee no longer requiring 
 the force which had beaten and nearly destroyed the only army 
 threatening it, I determined to find other fields of operation for 
 General Thomas's surplus troops — fields from which they would 
 cooperate with other movements. General Thomas was therefore 
 directed to collect all troops, not essential to hold his communica- 
 tions at Eastport, in readiness for orders. On the 7th of January 
 General Thomas was directed, if he was assured of the departure 
 of Hood south from Corinth, to send General Schofield with his 
 corps east with as little delay as possible. This direction was 
 promptly complied with, and the advance of the corps reached 
 Washington on the 23d of the same month, whence it was sent to 
 Fort Fisher and Newbern. On the 26th he was directed to send 
 General A. J. Smith's command and a division of cavalry to report 
 
KEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GEANT. 58 
 
 to General Canby. By the Ttli of February tlie whole force was 
 en route for its destination. 
 
 The State of IS'orth Carolina was constituted into a military de- 
 partment, and General Schofield assigned to command, and placed 
 under the orders of Major-Gen eral Sherman. The foUowino- in- 
 structions were given him : 
 
 " CiTT Point, Va., January 31, 1865. 
 
 " General ; * * * Your movements are intended as cooperative 
 with Sherman through the States of South and North Carolina. The first 
 point to he attained is to secure Wilmington. Goldsboro' wiU then be 
 your objective point, moving either from Wilmington or Newbern, or 
 both, as you deem best. Should you not be able to reach Goldsboro', 
 you will advance on the line or lines of railway connecting that place with 
 the sea-coast — as near to it as you can, building the road behind you. 
 The enterprise under you has tw^o objects : the first is to give General 
 Sherman material aid, if aeeded, in his march north ; the second, to open 
 a base of supplies for him on his line of march. As soon, therefore, as you 
 can determine which of the two points, Wilmington or Newbern, you can 
 best use for throwing supplies from to the interior, you will commence the 
 accumulation of twenty days' rations and forage for 60,000 men and 20,000 
 animals. You will get of these as many as }ou can house and protect to 
 such point in the interior a? you may be able to occupy. I believe Gen- 
 eral Palmer has received some instructions direct from General Sherman 
 on the subject of securing supplies for his army. You can learn what 
 steps he has taken, and be governed in your requisitions accordingly. A 
 supply of ordnance stores will also be necessary. 
 
 " Make all requisitions upon the chiefs of their respective departments 
 in the field with me at City Point. Communicate with me by every op- 
 portunity ; and should you deem it necessary at any time, send a special 
 boat to Fortress Monroe, from which point you can communicate by 
 telegraph, 
 
 " The supphes referred to in these instructions are exclusive of those 
 required for your own command. 
 
 " The movements of the enemy may justify, or even make it your im- 
 perative duty, to cut loose from your base and strike for the interior to aid 
 Sherman. In such case you will act on your own judgment, without wait- 
 ing for instructions. You will report, however, what you purpose doing. 
 The details for carrying out these instructions arc necessarilv left to you. 
 I would urge, however, if I did not know that you are already fully alive 
 to the importance of it, prompt action. Sherman may be looked for in 
 the neighborhood of Goldsboro' any time from the 22d to the 28th of 
 February ; this limits your time very materially. 
 
54: EEPORT OF LIETTTENANT-GENEEAL U. 8. GRANT. 
 
 " If rolling stock is not secured in the capture of Wilmington, it can 
 be supplied from Washington. A large force of railroad men have already 
 been sent to Beaufort, and other mechanics will go to Fort Fisher in a day 
 or two. On this point I have informed you by telegraph. 
 
 " U. S. Grant, Lieutenant General. 
 
 " Major-General J. M, Schofield." 
 
 Previous to giving these instructions I bad visited Fort Fisher, 
 accompanied by General Scbofield, for tbe purpose of seeing for 
 myself tbe condition of things, and personally conferring with Gen- 
 eral Terry and Admiral Porter as to what was best to be done. 
 
 Anticipating tlie arrival of General Sherman at Savannah — bis 
 army entirely foot-loose, Hood being then before l^asbville, Ten- 
 nessee, tbe Southern railroads destroyed, so that it would take 
 several months to reestablish a through line from west to east, and 
 regarding the capture of Lee's army as the most important opera- 
 tion toward closing the rebellion — I sent orders to General Sher- 
 man on the 6th of December, that after establishing a base on the 
 sea-coast, with necessary garrison, to include all bis artillery and 
 cavalry, to come by water to City Point with tbe balance of bis 
 command. 
 
 On the 18th of December, having received information of tbe 
 defeat and utter rout of Hood's army by General Thomas, and 
 that, owing to the great difficulty of procuring ocean transporta- 
 tion, it would take over two months to transport Sherman's army, 
 and doubting whether be might not contribute as much toward 
 the desired result by operating from where be was, I wrote to him 
 to that eifect, and asked him for bis views as to what would be 
 best to do, A few days after this I received a communication from 
 General Sherman, of date 16tli December, acknowledging the re- 
 ceipt of my order of the 6th, and informing me of bis preparations 
 to carry it into effect as soon as be could get transportation. Also 
 that he bad expected, upon reducing Savannah, instantly to march 
 to Columbia, Soutli Carolina, thence to Raleigh, and thence to re- 
 port to me ; but that tbis would consume about six weeks' time 
 after the fall of Savannah, whereas by sea he could probably reacb 
 me by the middle of January. The confidence be manifested in 
 this letter of being able to march up and join me pleased me, and, 
 without waiting for a reply to my letter of the 18th, I directed 
 biin, on the 28th of December, to make preparations to start, as he 
 proposed, without delay, to break up the railroads in I^orth and 
 
REPORT OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT. 55 
 
 South Carolina and join the armies operating against Richmond 
 as soon' as he could. 
 
 On the 21st of January I informed General Sherman that I had 
 ordered the Twenty-third Corps, Major-General Schofield command- 
 ing, east ; that it numbered about 21,000 men; that we had at 
 Fort Fisher about 8,000 men ; at ISTewbern about 4,000 ; that if 
 Wilmington was captured, General Schoiield wonld go there ; if 
 not, he would be sent to IN^ewbern ; that, in either event, all the 
 surplus force at both points would move to the interior toward 
 Goldsboro', in cooperation wnth his movement ; that from either 
 point railroad communication could be run out ; and that all these 
 troops would be subject to his orders as he came into communica- 
 tion with them. 
 
 In obedience to his instructions, General Schofield proceeded to 
 reduce Wilmington, North Carolina, in cooperation with the navy 
 under Admiral Porter, moving his forces up both sides of the Cape 
 Fear River. Fort Anderson, the enemy's main defence on the 
 west bank of the river, was occupied on the morning of the 19th, 
 the enemy having evacuated it after our appearance before it. 
 
 After fighting on the 20th and 21st, our trooj^s entered Wil- 
 mington on the morning of the 22d, the enemy having retreat- 
 ed toward Goldsboro' during the night. Preparations were at 
 once made for a movement on Goldsboro' in two columns — 
 one from AVilmington, and the other fi'om Newbern — and to repair 
 the railroad leading there from each place, as well as to supply 
 General Sherman by Cape Fear River, toward Fayetteville, if it 
 became necessary. The column from Newbern was attacked on 
 the 8th of March at Wise's Forks, and driven back with the loss of 
 several hundred prisoners. On the lltli the enemy renewed his at- 
 tack upon our intrenched position, but was repulsed with severe 
 loss, and fell back during the night. On the 14th the N^euse River 
 was crossed and Ivinston occupied, and on the 21st Goldsboro' 
 was entered. The column from Wilmington reached Cox's 
 bridge, on the jSTeuse River, ten miles above Goldsboro', on the 
 22d. 
 
 By the 1st of February General Sherman's whole arrny was in 
 motion from Savannah. He captured Columbia,' South Carolina, 
 on the' 17th ; thence moved on Goldsboro', North Carolina, ma 
 Fayetteville, reaching the latter place on the 12th of March, open- 
 ing up communication with General SchoHeld by way of Cape 
 
56 EEPOKT OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT. 
 
 Fear River. On the 15th he resumed his march on Goldsboro'. 
 He met a force of the enemy at Averysboro', and after a severe 
 fight defeated and compelled it to retreat. Our loss in the engage- 
 ment was about 600. The enemy's loss was much greater. On 
 the 18th the combined forces of the enemy, under Joe Johnston, at- 
 tacked his advance at Bentonville, capturing three guns and driv- 
 ing it back upon the main body. General SJocum, who was in the 
 advance, ascertaining that the whole of Johnston's arm}- was in the 
 front, arranged his troops on the defensive, intrenched himself and 
 awaited reenforceraents, which were pushed forward. On the 
 night of the 21st the enemy retreated to Smithfield, leaving his 
 dead and wounded in our hands. From there Sherman continued 
 to Goldsboro', which place had been occupied by General Sclio- 
 tield on the 21st (crossing the Neuse River ten miles above there, 
 at Cox's bridge, where General Terry had got possession and 
 thrown a pontoon bridge, on the 22d), thus forming a junction 
 with the columns from ]^ewbern and Wilmington. 
 
 Among the important fruits of this campaign was the fall of 
 Charleston, South Carolina. It was evacuated by tlie enemy on 
 the night of the 17th of February, and occupied by our forces on 
 the 18th. 
 
 On the morning of the 31st of January General Thomas was 
 directed to send a cavalry expedition, under General Stoneman, 
 from East Tennessee to penetrate South Carolina well down tow- 
 ard Columbia, to destroy the railroads and military resources of 
 the country, and return, if he was able, to East Tennessee by way 
 of Salisbury, North Carolina, releasing our prisoners there, if possi- 
 ble. Of the feasibility of this latter, hov/ever. General Stoneman 
 was to judge. Sherman's movements, I had no doubt, would at- 
 tract the attention of all the force the enemy could collect and fa- 
 cilitate the execution of this. General Stoneman was so late in 
 making his start on this expedition (and Sherman having passed 
 out of the State of South Carolina), on the 2Tth of February I di- 
 rected General Thomas to change his course, and ordered him to 
 repeat his raid of last fall, destroying the railroad toward Lynch- 
 burg as far as he could. This would keep him between our garri- 
 sons in East Tennessee and the enemy. I regarded it not impos- 
 sible that in the event of the enemy being driven from Richmond 
 he might fall back to Lynchburg and attempt a raid north through 
 East Tennessee. On the 14th of February the following commu- 
 nication was sent to General Thomas : 
 
KEPORT OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL V. S. GRANT. 57 
 
 "City Point, Va., February 14, 1865. 
 
 "General Canby is preparing a movement from Mobile Bay against 
 Mobile and the interior of Alabama. His force will consist of about 
 20,000 men, besides A. J. Smith's command. The cavalry you h^ve sent 
 to Canby will be debarked at Vicksburg. It, with the available cavalry 
 already in that section, will move from there eastward, in cooperation. 
 Hood's army has been terribly reduced by the severe punishment you gave 
 it in Tennessee, by desertion consequent upon their defeat, and now by the 
 withdrawal of many of them to oppose Sherman. (I take it a large por- 
 tion of the infantry has been so withdrawn. It is so asserted in the Rich- 
 mond papers, and a member of the rebel Congress said a few days since in 
 a speech, that one-half of it had been brought to South Carolina to oppose 
 Sherman.) This being true, or even if it is not true, Canby's movement 
 will attract all the attention of the enemy, and leave the advance from 
 your stand-point easy. I think it advisable, therefore, that you prepare 
 as much of a cavalry force as you can spare, and hold it in readiness to go 
 south. The object wonld be threefold : first, to attract as much of the 
 enemy's force as possible to insure success to Canby ; second, to destroy 
 the enemy's line of communications and military resources ; third, to 
 destroy or capture their forces brought into the field. Tuscaloosa aud 
 Selma would probably be the points to direct the expedition against. This, 
 however, would not be so important as the mere fact of penetrating deep 
 into Alabama. Discretion should be left to the officer commanding the 
 expedition to go where, according to the information he may receive, he 
 will best secure the objects named above. 
 
 " Now that your force has been so much depleted, I do not know what 
 number of men you can put into the field. If not more than 5,000 men, 
 however, all cavalry, I think it will be sufficient. It is not desirable that 
 you should start this expedition until the one leaving Vicksburg has been 
 three or four days out, or even a week. I do not know when it will start, 
 but will inform you by telegraph as soon as I learn. If you should hear 
 through other sources before hearing from me, you can act on the informa- 
 tion received. 
 
 " To insure success, your cavalry should go with as little wagon train 
 as possible, relying upon the country for supplies. I would also reduce 
 the number of guns to a battery, or the number of batteries, and put the 
 extra teams to the guns taken. No guns or caissons should be taken with 
 less than eight horses. 
 
 " Please inform me by telegraph, on receipt of this, what force you 
 think you wnll be able to send under these directions. 
 
 " U. S. Grant, Lieufenant-General. 
 
 " Major-Gencral G. H. Thomas." 
 
58 EEPOET OF LIEUTENAI^T-GEJSTEKAL U. S. GRANT. 
 
 On the 15tli, he was directed to start the expedition as soon 
 after the 20th as he could get it off. 
 
 I deemed it of the utmost importance, before a general move- 
 ment of the armies operating against Richmond, that all communi- 
 cations witli the city, north of James River, should be cut off. 
 The enemy having withdrawn the bulk of his force from the 
 Shenandoah Yalley and sent it south, or replaced troops sent from 
 Richmond, and desiring to reenforce Sherman, if practicable, 
 whose cavalry was greatly inferior in numl)ers to that of the 
 enemy, I determined to make a move from the Shenandoah, which, 
 if successful, would accomplish the first at least, and possibly the 
 latter of these objects, I therefore telegraphed General Sheridan 
 as follows : 
 
 " City Point, Va., February 20, 1865—1 p. m. 
 
 "General : As soon as it is possible to travel I think you will have 
 no difficulty about reaching Lynchburg with a cavalry force alone. From 
 there you could destroy the railroad and canal iu every direction, so as to 
 be of no further use to the rebellion. Sufficient cavalry should be left be- 
 hind to look after Mosby's gang. From Lynchburg, if information you 
 might get there would justify it, you could strike south, heading the 
 streams in Virginia to the westward of Danville, and push on and join 
 General Sherman.. This additional raid, with one now about starting from 
 East Tennessee under Stoncman, numbering four or five thousand cavalry, 
 one from Vicksburg, numbering seven or eight thousand cavalry, one from 
 Eastport, Mississippi, ten thousand cavalry, Canby from Mobile Bay, with 
 about thirty-eight thousand mixed troops, these .three latter pushing for 
 Tuscaloosa, Selma, and Montgomery, and Sherman with a large army eat- 
 ing out the vitals of South Carolina, is all that will be wanted to leave 
 nothing for the rebellion to stand upon. I would advise you to overcome 
 great obstacles to accomplish this. Charleston Avas evacuated on Tuesday 
 last. " U. S. Grant, Licutenant-General. 
 
 " Major-General P. H. Sheridaj^." 
 
 On the 25tli I received a despatch from General Sheridan, in- 
 quiring where Sherman was aiming for, and if I could give him 
 definite information as to the points he might be expected to move 
 on this side of Charlotte, ISTorth Carolina. In answer, the follow- 
 ing telegram was sent him : 
 
 " City Point, Va., February 25, 1865. 
 " General : Sherman's movements will depend on the amount of oppo- 
 sition he meets with from the enemy. If strongly opposed, he may possi- 
 
EEPOKT OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT. 59 
 
 bly have to fall back to Georgetown, S. C, and fit out for a new start. I 
 think, however, all danger for the necessity of going to that point has 
 passed. I beUeve he has passed Charlotte, He may take Fayctteville on 
 his way to Goldsboro'. If you reach Lynchburg, you will Lave to be 
 guided in your after movements by the information you obtain. Before 
 you could possibly reach Sherman, I think you would find him mov- 
 ing from Goldsboro' toward Ealeigh, or engaging the enemy strongly 
 posted at one or the other of these places, with railroad communications 
 opened from his array to Wilmington or Newbern. 
 
 " U. S. Grant, Lieutenant-General, 
 " Major-Gefteral P. H. Sheridan." 
 
 General Sheridan moved from "Winchester on the 2Ytli of 
 February, with two divisions of 'cavalry, numbering about 5,000 
 each. On the 1st of March he secured the bridge, which the 
 enemy attempted to destroy, across the middle fork of the Shenan- 
 doah, at Mount Crawford, and entered Staunton on the 2d, the 
 enemy having retreated on l/Yaynesboro'. Thence he pushed 
 on to Waynesboro', where he found the enemy in force in an 
 intrenched position, under General Early. Without stopping to 
 make a reconnoissance, an immediate attack was made, the position 
 was carried, and sixteen hundred prisoners, eleven pieces of artil- 
 lery, with horses and caissons complete, two hundred wagons and 
 teams loaded with subsistence, and seventeen battle-flags, were 
 captured. The prisoners, under an escort of fifteen hundred men, 
 were sent back to Winchester. Thence he marched on Charlottes- 
 ville, destroying eifectually the railroad and bridges as he went, 
 which place he reached on the 3d. Here he remained two days, 
 destroying the railroad toward Eichmond and Lynchburg, includ- 
 ing the large iron bridges over the north and south forks of the 
 Eivanna Eiver, and awaiting the arrival of his trains. This neces- 
 sary delay caused him to abandon the idea of capturing Lynch- 
 burg. On the morning of the 6th, dividing his force "into tM'o 
 columns, he. sent one to Scottsville, whence it marched up the 
 James Eiver Canal to.ITew Market, destroying every lock, and in 
 many places the bank of the canal. Froni here"^ a force was 
 pushed out from this column to Duiguidsville, to obtain possession 
 of the bridge across the James Eiver at that place, but failed. The 
 enemy burned it on our approach. . The enemy also l)urned the 
 bridge across the river at Hardwicksville. The " other column 
 moved down the railroad toward Lynchburg, destroying it as far as 
 
60 EEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENEKAL U. S. GRANT. 
 
 Amlierst Conrt-IIouse, sixteen miles from Lynchburg; thence 
 across the country, uniting with the cohimn at New Market. The 
 river being very high, his pontoons would not reach across it ; and 
 the enemy having destroyed the bridges by which he had hoped to 
 cross the river and get on the South Side Railroad about Farmville, 
 and destroy it to Appomattox Court-House, the only thing left for 
 him was to return to Winchester or strike a base at the White 
 House. Fortunately, he chose the latter. From New Market he 
 took up his line of march, following the canal toward Richmond, 
 destroying every lock upon it and cutting the banks wherever 
 practicable, to a point eight miles east of Goochjand, concentrating 
 the whole force at Columbia on the 10th. Here he rested one day, 
 and sent through by scouts information of his whereabouts and 
 purposes, and a request for supplies to meet him at White House, 
 which reached me on the night of the 12th. An infantry force 
 was immediately sent to get possession of White House, and sup- 
 plies were forwarded. Moving from Columbia in a direction to 
 threaten Richmond, to near Ashland Station, he crossed the Annas, 
 and after having destroyed all the bridges and many miles of the 
 railroad, proceeded down the north bank of the Pamunkey to 
 White House, which place he reached on the 19th. 
 
 Previous to this the following communication was sent to Gen- 
 eral Thomas : 
 
 "City Point, Va., March 1, 1865—9:30 a. m. 
 
 " General : I think it will be advisable now for you to repair the rail- 
 road in East Tennessee, and throw a good force up to Bull's Gap and 
 fortify there. Supplies at Knoxville could always be got forward as re- 
 quired. With Bull's Gap fortified, you can occupy as outposts about all 
 of East Tennessee, and be prepared, if it should be required of you in the 
 spring, to make a campaign toward Lynchburg, or into North Carolina. 
 I do not think Stoneman should break the road until he gets into Vir- 
 ginia, unless it should be to cut off" rolling stock that may be caught west 
 of that. U. S. Grant, Lieutenant-Gen eral. 
 
 " Major-General G. H. Thomas." 
 
 Thus it will be seen that in March, 1865, General Canby was 
 moving an adequate force against Mobile and the army defending 
 it under General Dick Taylor ; Thomas was pushing out two large 
 and well-appointed cavalry expeditions — one from Middle Tennessee 
 under Brevet Major-General Wilson against the enemy's vital 
 points in Alabama, the other from East Tennessee under Major- 
 
KEPOKT OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL F. S. GEANT. 61 
 
 General Stoneman toward Lynchburg — and assembling the re- 
 mainder of his available forces, preparatory to offensive operations 
 from East Tennessee ; General Sheridan's cavalry was at White 
 House ; the Armies of the Potomac and James were confronting the 
 enemy, under Lee, in his defences of Richmond and Petersburg ; 
 General Sherman with his armies, reenforced by that of General 
 Schofield, was at Goldsboro' ; General Pope was making prepara- 
 tions for a spring campaign against the enemy under Kirby Smith 
 and Price, west of the Mississij)pi ; and General Hancock was con- 
 centrating a force in the vicinity of Winchester, Virginia, to guard 
 against invasion or to operate offensively, as might prove necessary. 
 
 After the long march by General Sheridan's cavalry over 
 winter roads, it was necessary to rest and refit at White House. 
 At this time tlie greatest source of uneasiness to me was tlie fear 
 that the enemy would leave his strong lines about Petersburg and 
 Eiclnnond for the purpose of uniting with Johnston, before lie was 
 driven from them by battle, or I was prepared to make an effectual 
 pursuit. On the 24th of March General Sheridan moved from 
 White House, crossed the James Piver at Jones' Landing, and 
 formed a junction with the Army of the Potomac in front of 
 Petersburg on the 2Tth. During this move, General Ord sent 
 forces to cover the crossings of the Chickahominy. 
 
 On the 24th of March the following instructions for a general 
 movement of the armies operating against Richmond were issued : 
 
 " City Point, Va., March 24, 1865. 
 
 " General : On the 29tli instant the armies operating against Eich- 
 niond will be moved by our left, for the double purpose of turning the 
 enemy out of his present position around Petersburg, and to insure the 
 success of the cavalry under General Sheridan, which will start at the same 
 time, in its efforts to reach and destroy the South Side and Danville Rail- 
 roads. Two corps of the Army of the Potomac will be moved at first in 
 two columns, taking the two roads crossing Hatcher's Run, nearest where 
 the present line held by us strikes that stream, both moving toward Din- 
 widdle Court-House. 
 
 " The cavalry under General Sheridan, joined by the division now 
 under General Davies, will move at the same time by the Weldou road 
 and the Jerusalem plank road, turning Avest from the latter before crossing 
 the Nottaway, and west with the whole column before, reaching Stony 
 Creek. General Sheridan will then move independently, under other in- 
 structions which will be given him. All dismounted cavalry belonging to 
 
62 EEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL TJ. P. GEANT. 
 
 tlie Army of tlic Potomac, and tlie clismomited cavalry from the middle 
 military division not required for guarding property belonging to their arm 
 of service, will report to Brigadier-General Benhara, to be added to the 
 defences of City Point. Major-General Parke Avill be left in command of 
 all the army left for holding the lines about Petersburg and City Point, 
 subject, of course, to orders from the commander of the Army of the 
 Potomac. The Ninth Army Corps will be left intact to hold the present 
 line of works so long as the whole line now occupied by us is held. If, 
 however, the troops to the left of the Ninth Corps are withdrawn, then 
 the left of the corps may be thrown back so as to occupy the position 
 held by the army prior to the capture of the Weldon road. All troops to 
 the left of the Ninth Corps will be held in readiness to move at the short- 
 est notice by such route as may be designated when the order is given. 
 
 ■ " General Ord will detach three divisions, two white and one colored, 
 or so much of them as he can and hold his present lines, and march for 
 the present left of the Army of the Potomac. In the absence of further 
 orders, or until further orders are given, the white divisions will follow the 
 left column of the Army of the Potomac, and the colored division the 
 right . column. During the movement Major-General Weitzel will be left 
 in command of all the forces remaining behind from the Army of the 
 James. 
 
 " The movement of troops from the Army of the James will com- 
 mence on the night of the 27th instant. .General Ord will leave behind 
 the minimum number of cavalry necessary for picket duty, in the absence 
 of the main army. A cavalry expedition from General Ord's command 
 will also be started from Suffolk, to leave there on Saturday, the 1st of 
 April, under Colonel Sumner, for the purpose of cutting the railroad about 
 Hicksford. This, if accomplished, will have to be a surprise, and there- 
 fore from three to five hundred men Avill be sufficient. They should, how- 
 ever, be supported by all the infantry that can be spared from Norfolk and 
 Portsmouth, as far out as to where the cavalry crosses the Blackwater. 
 The crossing should probably be at TJniten. Should Colonel Sumner suc- 
 ceed in reaching the. Weldon road, he will be instructed to do all the dam- 
 age possible to the triangle of roads between Hicksford, Weldon, and Gas- 
 ton. The railroad bridge at Weldon being fitted up for the passage of 
 carriages, it might be practicable to destroy any accumulation of supplies 
 the enemy may have collected south of the Roanoke. All the troops will 
 move with four days' rations in haversacks, and eight days' in wagons. 
 To avoid as much hauling as possible, and to give the Army of the James 
 the same number of days' supply with the Army of the PotomaQ, General 
 Ord will direct his commissary and quartermaster to have sufficient sup- 
 plies delivered at the terminus of the road to fill up in passing. Sixty 
 rounds of ammunition per man will be taken in wagons, and as raucb 
 
KEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT. 63 
 
 grain as the transportation on hand will carry, after taking the specified 
 amount of other supplies. The densely wooded country in which the 
 army has to operate making the use of much artillery impracticable, the 
 amount taken with the army will be reduced to six or eight guns to each 
 division, at the option of the army commanders. 
 
 " All necessary preparations for carrying these directions into operation 
 may be commenced at once. The reserves of the Ninth Corps should be 
 massed as much as possible. Whilst I would not now order an uncondi- 
 tional attack on the enemy's line by them, they should be ready, and 
 should make the attack if the enemy weakens his line in their front, with- 
 out waiting for orders. In case they carry the line, then the whole of the 
 Ninth Corps could follow up so as to join or cooperate with the balance of 
 the army. To prepare for this, the Ninth Corps will have rations issued to 
 them, same as the balance of the army. General Weitzel will keep vigil- 
 ant watch upon his front, and if found at all practicable to break through 
 at any point,, he will do so. A success north of the James should be fol- 
 lowed up witli great promptness. An attack will not be feasible unless it 
 is found that the enemy has detached largely. In that case it may be re- 
 garded as evident that the enemy are relying upon their local reserves, 
 principally for the defence of Eichmond. Preparations may be made for 
 abandoning all the line north of the James, except enclosed works — only 
 to be abandoned, however, after a break is made in the lines of the 
 enemy. 
 
 "By these instructions a large part of the armies operating against 
 Richmond is left behind. ' The enemy, knowing this, may, as an only 
 chance, strip their lines to the merest skeleton, in the hope of advantao-e 
 not being taken of it, whilst they hurl every thing against the moving 
 column, and return. It cannot be impressed too strongly upon command- 
 ers of troops left in the trenches not to allow this to occur without taking 
 advantage of it. The very fact of the enemy coming out to attack, if he 
 does so, might be regarded as almost conclusive evidence of such a weak- 
 ening of his lines. I would have it particularly enjoined upon corps com- 
 manders that, in case of an attack from the enemy, those not attacked are 
 not to wait for orders from the commanding oflicer of the army to which 
 they belong, but that tkey will move promptly, and notify the commander 
 of their action. I would also enjoin the same action on the part of divi- 
 sion commanders when other parts of their corps are engaged. In like 
 manner, I would urge the importance of following up a repulse of the 
 enemy. U. S. Grant, Lieutenant-General. 
 
 " Major-Generals Meade, Ord, and Sheridan." 
 
 Early on the morning of the 25th the enemy assaulted onr 
 lines in front of the Ninth Corps (which held from the Appomattox 
 
64 KEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENEKAL U. B. GEANT. 
 
 River toward our left) and carried Fort Steadman, and a part of 
 the line to the right and left of it, established themselves and 
 turned the guns of the fort against us ; but our troops on either 
 flank held their ground until the reserves were brought up, wlien 
 the enemy was driven back with a heavy loss in killed and wound- 
 ed and 1,900 prisoners. Our loss was sixty-eight killed, three hun- 
 dred and thirty-seven wounded, and five hundred and six missing. 
 General Meade at once ordered the other corps to advance and 
 feel the enemy in their respective fronts. Pushing forward, they 
 captured and held the enemy's strongly intrenched picket line in 
 front of the Second and Sixth Corps, and eight hundred and thirty 
 four prisoners. The enemy made desperate attempts to retake this 
 line, but without success. Our loss in front of these was fifty-two 
 killed, eight hundred and sixty-four wounded, and two hundred 
 and seven missing. The enemy's loss in killed and wounded was 
 far greater. 
 
 General Sherman having got his troops all quietly in camp 
 about Goldsboro', and his preparations- for furnishing supplies to 
 them perfected, visited me at City Point on the 27tli of March, and 
 stated that he would be ready to move, as he had previously 
 written me, by the 10th of April, fully equipped and rationed for 
 twenty days, if it should become necessary to bring his command 
 to bear against Lee's army, in cooperation with our forces in front 
 of Pichmond and Petersburg. General Sherman proposed in this 
 movement to threaten Paleigh, and then, by turning suddenly to 
 the right, reach the Poanoke at Gaston or thereabouts, whence he 
 could move on to the Richmond and Danville Railroad, striking it 
 in the vicinity of Purkesville, or join the armies operating against 
 Richmond, as might be deemed best. This plan he was directed 
 to carry into execution, if he received no further directions in the 
 mean time. I explained to him the movement I had ordered to 
 commence on the 29th of March. That if it should not prove as 
 entirely successful as I hoped, I would cut the cavalry loose to 
 destroy the Danville and South Side Railroads, and thus deprive the 
 enemy of farther supplies, and also prevent the rapid concentration 
 of Lee's and Johnston's armies. 
 
 1 had spent days of anxiety lest each morning should bring the 
 report that the enemy had retreated the night before. I was firm- 
 ly convinced that Sherman's crossing the Roanoke would be the 
 signal for Lee to leave. With Johnston and him combined, a long, 
 
EEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT. 65 
 
 tedious, and expensive campaign, consuming most of the summer, 
 might become necessary. By moving out I would put the army 
 in better condition for pursuit, and would at least, by the destruc- 
 tion of the Danville road, retard the concentration of the two 
 armies of Lee and Johnston, arid . cause the enemy to abandon 
 much material that he might otherwise save. I therefore de- 
 termined not to delay the movement ordered. 
 
 On the night of the 2 Tth, Major-General Ord, with two divi- 
 sions of the Twenty-fourth Corps, Major-General Gibbon com- 
 manding, and one division of the Twenty-fifth Corps, Brigadier- 
 General Biruey commanding, and McKenzie's cavalry, took up his 
 line of march in pursuance of the foregoing instructions, and 
 reached the position assigned him near Hatcher's Run on the 
 morning of the 29th. On the 28th the following instructions were 
 given to General Sheridan : 
 
 " City Point, Va., March 28, 1865. 
 
 " General : The Fifth Army Corps -will move by the Vaughn road at 
 3 A. M. to-morrow morning. The Second moves at about 9 a. m., having 
 but about three miles to march to reach the point designated for it to take 
 on the right of the Fifth Corps, after the latter reaching Dinwiddie Court- 
 House. Move your cavalry at as early an hour as j'ou can, and without 
 being, confined to any particular road or roads. You may go out by the 
 nearest roads in rear of the Fifth Corps, pass .by its left, and, passing near 
 to or through Dinwiddie, reach the right and rear of the enemy as soon as 
 you can. It 'is not the intention to attack the enemy in his intrenched 
 position, but to force him out, if possible. Should he come out and 
 attack us, or get himself where he can be attacked, move in with your 
 entire force in your own way, and with the full reliance that the army will 
 engage or follow, as circumstances wUl dictate. I shall be on the field, and 
 will probably be able to communicate with you. Should I not do so, and 
 you find that the enemy keeps within his main intrenched line, you may 
 cut loose and push for the Danville road. If you find it practicable, I 
 Avou.ld like you to cross the South Side road, between Petersburg and 
 Burkesville, and destroy it to some extent. I would not advise much de- 
 tention, however, until you reach the Danville road, which I would like 
 you to strike as near to the Appomattox as possible. Make your destruc- 
 tion on that road as complete as possible. You can then pass on to the 
 South Side road, west of Burkesville, and destroy that in like manner. 
 
 " After having accomplished the destruction of the two railroads, 
 which are now the only avenues of supply to Lee's army, you may return to 
 this arrny, selecting your road further south, or you may go on into North 
 5 
 
QQ EEPORT OF LIECTENANT-GENEEA.L U. S. GRANT. 
 
 Carolina and join General Sherman. Should you select the latter course, 
 get the information to mc as early as possible, so that t may send orders 
 to meet you at Goldsboro'. 
 
 " U. S. Grant, Lieutenant-Gen eral. 
 " Major-Gencral P. H, Sheridan." 
 
 On tlie morning of tlie 29tli the movement commenced. At 
 niglit the cavalr}' was at Dinwiddie Court-House, and the left of 
 our infantry line extended to the Quaker road, near its intersec- 
 tion with the Boydton plank road. The position of the troops, 
 from left to right, was as follows : Sheridan, Warren, Humphreys, 
 Ord, Wright, Parke. 
 
 Every thing looked favorable to the defeat of the enemy and 
 the capture of Petersburg and Eichmond, if the proper effort was 
 made. I therefore addressed the following communication to Gen- 
 eral Sheridan, having previously informed him verbally not to cut 
 loose for the raid contemplated in his orders until he received no- 
 tice from me to do so : ■ 
 
 " Gravelly Creek, March 29, 1865. 
 
 " General : Our line is now unbroken from the Appomattox to Din- 
 T/iddic. We are all ready, however, to give up all, from the Jerusalem 
 plank road to Hatcher's Run, whenever the forces can be used advantage- 
 ously. After getting into line south of Hatcher's, we pushed forward to 
 find the enemy's position. General Griffin was attacked near where the 
 Quaker road intersects the Boydton road, but repulsed it easily, capturing 
 about one hundred men. Humphreys reached Dabney's mill, and was 
 pushing on when last heard from. 
 
 " I now feci like ending the matter, if it is possible to do so, before 
 going back. I do not want you, therefore, to cut loose and go after the 
 enemy's roads at present. In the morning push around the enemy, if you 
 can, and get on to his right rear. The movements of the enemy's cavalry 
 may, of course, modify your action. We will act all together as one army 
 here until it is seen what can be done with the enemy. The signal officer 
 at Cobb's Hill reported, at 11:30 a.m., that a cavalry column had passed 
 that point from Richmond toward Petersburg, taking forty minutes to pass. 
 
 " U. S. Grant, Lieutenant-General. 
 
 " Major-General P. H. Sheridan." 
 
 From the night of the 29tli to the morning of the 31st the rain 
 fell in such torrents as to make it impossible to move a wheeled 
 vehicle, except as corduroy roads were laid in front of them. 
 During the 30th, Sheridan advanced from Dinwiddie Court-House 
 
REPORT OF LIEUTENANT-GENEEAL U. S. GRANT. 67 
 
 toward Five Forks, wliere he found the enemy in force. General 
 Warren advanced and extended his line across the Boydton jDlank 
 road to near the White Oak road, with a view of getting across the 
 latter ; but, finding the enemy strong in his front and extending 
 beyond his left, was directed to hold on where he was and fortify. 
 General Humphreys drove the enemy from his front into his main 
 line on the Hatcher, near Burgess's Mills. Generals Ord, Wright, 
 and Parke made examinations in their fronts to determine the 
 feasibility of an assault on the enemy's lines. The two latter re- 
 ported favorably. The enemy confronting us, as he did, at every 
 point from Eichmond to our extreme left, I conceived his lines 
 must be weakly held, and could be penetrated if my estimate of 
 his forces was correct. I determined, therefore, to extend my line 
 no further, but to reenforce General Sheridan with a corps of in- 
 fantry, and thus enable him to cut loose and turn tlie enemy's right 
 flank, and with the other corps assault the enemy's lines. The re- 
 sult of the offensive effort of the enemy the week before, when he 
 assaulted Fort Steadman, particularly favored this. The enemy's 
 intrenched picket line captured by us at that time threw the lines 
 occupied by the l)elligerents so close together at some points that 
 it was but a moment's run from one to the other. Preparations 
 were at once made to relieve General Hum2)hreys' corps, to report 
 to General Sheridan ; but the condition of the roads prevented 
 immediate movement. On the morning of the 31st, General War- 
 ren reported favorably to getting possession of the White Oak 
 road, and was directed to do so. To accomplish this, he moved 
 with one division, instead of his whole corps, which was attacked 
 by the enemy in superior force and driven back on the second di- 
 vision before it had time to form, and it, in turn, forced back upon 
 the third division, when the enemy was checked. A division of 
 the Second Corps was immediately sent to his support, the enemy 
 driven back with heavy loss, and possession of the White Oak 
 road gained. Sheridan advanced, and with a portion of his cav- 
 alry got possession of the Five Forks ; but the enemy, after the af- 
 fair with the Fifth Coi-ps, reenforced the rebel cavalry, defendino- 
 that point with infantry, and forced him back toward Dinwiddle 
 Court-House. Here General Sheridan displayed great generalship. 
 Instead of retreating with his whole command on the main army, 
 to tell the story of superior forces encountered, he deployed his 
 cavalry on foot, leaving only mounted men enough to take charge 
 
68 REPORT OF LIEUTEJSrANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT. 
 
 of the horses. This compelled the enemy to deploy over a vast ex- 
 tent of woods and broken country, and make his progress slow. 
 At this juncture he despatched to me what had taken place, and 
 that he was dropping back slowly on Dinwiddle Court-House. 
 General McKenzie's cavalry and one division of the Fifth Corps 
 were immediately ordered to his assistance. Soon after, receiving 
 a report from General Meade that Humphreys could hold our 
 position on the Boydton road, and that the other two divisions of 
 the Fifth Corps could go to Sheridan, they were so ordered at 
 once. Thus the operations of the day necessitated the sending of 
 Warren, because of his accessibility, instead of Humphreys, as was 
 intended, and precipitated intended movements. On the morning 
 of the 1st of April, General Sheridan, reenforced by General War- 
 ren, drove the enemy back on Five Forks, where, late in the even- 
 ing, he assaulted and carried his strongly fortified position, captur- 
 ing all his artillery and between 5,000 and 6,000 prisoners. 
 
 About the close of this battle, Brevet Major-General Charles 
 Grifiin relieved Major-General Warren in command of the 5th 
 corps. The report of this reached me after nightfall. Some appre- 
 hensions filled my mind lest the enemy might desert his lines during 
 the night, and by falling upon General Sheridan before assistance 
 could reach him, drive him from his position and open the way for 
 retreat. To guard against this, General Miles' division of Humph- 
 reys' corps was sent toreenforce him, and a bombardment was com- 
 menced and kept up until 4 o'clock in the morning (April 2), when 
 an assault was ordered on the enemy's lines. General Wj-ight pene- 
 trated the lines with his whole corps, sweeping everything before 
 him, and to his left toward Hatcher's Run, capturing many guns 
 and several thousand prisoners. He was closely followed by two 
 divisions of General Ord's command, until he met the other division 
 of General Ord's that had succeeded in forcing the enemy's lines near 
 Hatcher's Run. Generals Wright and Ord immediately swung to 
 the right, and closed all of the enemy on that side of them in Peters- 
 burg, while General Humphreys pushed forward with two divisions 
 and joined General Wright on the left. General Parke succeeded in 
 carrying the enemy's main line, capturing guns and' prisoners, but 
 was unable to carry his inner line. General Sheridan, being ad vised 
 of the condition of affairs, returned General Miles to his proper com- 
 mand. On reaching the enemy's lines immediately surrounding 
 Petersburg, a portion of General Gibbon's corps, by a most gallant 
 
KEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT. 69 
 
 charge, captured two strong, enclosed works — the most salient and 
 commanding south of Petersburg — thus materially shortening the 
 line of investment necessary for taking in the city. The enemy 
 south of Hatcher's Run retreated westward to Sutherland's Sta- 
 tion, where they were overtaken by Miles's division. A severe 
 engagement ensued, and lasted until both his right and left flanks 
 w^ere threatened by the approach of General Sheridan, who was 
 moving from Ford's Station toward Petersburg, and a division 
 sent by General Meade from the front of Petersburg, when he broke 
 in the utmost confusion, leaving in our hands his guns and many 
 prisoners. This force retreated by the main road along the Appo- 
 mattox Elver. During the night of the 2d the enemy evacuated 
 Petersburg and Richmond, and retreated toward Danville. On 
 the morning of the 3d pursuit was commenced. ■ General Sheridan 
 pushed for the Danville road, keeping near the Appomattox, fol- 
 lowed by General Meade with the Second and Sixth Corps, while 
 General Ord moved for Burkesville along the South Side road ; the 
 Mnth Corps stretched along that road behind him. On the 4th, Gen- 
 eral Sheridan struck the Danville road near Jettersville, where he 
 learned that Lee was at Amelia Court-IIouse. He immediately 
 intrenched himself and awaited the arrival of General Meade, who 
 reached there the next day. General Ord reached Burkesville on 
 the evening of the 5th. 
 
 On the morning of the 5th, I addressed Major-General Sherman 
 the following communication : 
 
 "Wilson's Station, April 5, 1865. 
 
 " General : All indications now are that Lee -will attempt to reach 
 Danville with the remnant of his force. Sheridan, who was up with him 
 last night, reports all that is left, horse, foot, and dragoons, at 20,000, 
 much demoralized. We hope to reduce this number one-half. I shall 
 push on to Bm-kesville, and, if a stand is made at Danville, will in a very 
 few days go there. If you can possibly do so, push on from where you 
 are, and let us see if we cannot finish the job with Lee's and Johnston's 
 armies. Whether it will be better for you to strike for Greensboro', or 
 nearer to Danville, you will be better able to judge when you receive this. 
 Rebel armies now are the only strategic points to strike at. 
 
 " U, S. Grant, Lieutenant-General. 
 
 " Major-Geueral W. T. Sherman." 
 
 On the morning of the 6th it was found that General Lee was 
 moving west of Jettersville, toward Danville. General Sheridan 
 
70 EEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL TJ. S. GRANT. 
 
 moved with his cavahy (the Fifth Corps having been returned to 
 General Meade on his reaching Jettersville), to strike his ilank, 
 followed by the Sixth Corps, wliile the Second and Fifth Corps 
 pressed hard after, forcing him to abandon several hundred wagons 
 and several pieces of artillery. ' General Ord advanced from Burkes- 
 ville toward Farmville, sending two regiments of infantry, and a 
 squadron of cavalry, under Brevet Brigadier-General Theodore 
 Read, to reach and destroy the bridges. This advance met the 
 head of Lee's column near Farmville, which it heroically attacked 
 and detained until General Read was killed and his small force 
 overpowered. This caused a delay in the enemy's movements, and 
 enabled General Ord to get well up with the remainder of hia force, 
 on meeting which the enemy immediately intrenched himself. In 
 the afternoon General Sheridan struck the enemy south of Sailor's 
 Creek, captured sixteen pieces of artillery and about four hundred 
 w^agons, and detained him until the Sixth Corps got up, when a 
 general attack of infantry and cavalry was made, which resulted in 
 the capture of six or seven thousand prisoners, among whom were 
 many general officers. Tlie movements of the Second Corps and 
 General Ord's command contributed greatly to the day's success. 
 
 On the morning of the 7th the pursuit was renewed, the cavalry, 
 except one division, and the Fifth Corps moving by Prince Ed- 
 ward's Court-House; the Sixth Corps, General Ord's connnand, 
 and one division of cavalry, on Farmville, and the Second Corps 
 by the High Bridge road. It was soon found that the enemy had 
 crossed to the north side of the Appomattox, but so close was the 
 pursuit that the Second Corps got possession of the common bridge 
 at High Bridge before the enemy could destroy it, and immediately 
 crossed over. The Sixth Corps and a division of cavalry crossed 
 at Farmville to its support. 
 
 Feeling now that General Lee's chance of escape was utterly 
 hopeless, I addressed liim the following communication from Farm- 
 ville : 
 
 "April 7, 1865. 
 " General : The result of the last week must convince you of the 
 hopelessness of- further resistance on the part of the Army of Northern 
 Virginia in this struggle. I feel that it is so, and regard it as my duty to 
 shift from myself the responsibility of any further eflusion of blood, by 
 asking of you the surrender of that portion of the Confederate States army 
 known as the Army of Northern Virginia. 
 
 " U. S. Grant, ■ Lieutenant-Gen eral. 
 " General R. E. Lee." 
 
REPOKT OF LIEUTENANT-GENEEAL U. S. GRANT. 71 
 
 Early on the morning of the 8th, before leaving, I received at 
 Farmville the following : 
 
 " April V, 1865. 
 " General : I have received your note of this date. Though not en- 
 tertaining the opinion you express on the hopelessness of further resist- 
 ance on the part of the Army of Northern Virginia, I reciprocate your 
 desire to avoid useless effusion of hlood, and therefore, before considering 
 your proposition, ask the terms you "vvill offer on condition of its surrender. 
 
 "E. E. Lee, General 
 " Lieutenant-General U. S. Grant." 
 
 To this I immediately replied : 
 
 "April 8, 1865. 
 
 " General : Your note of last evening, in reply to mine of same date, 
 asking the condition on which I will accept the surrender of the Army of 
 Northern Virginia, is just received. In reply I would say that, i^eace 
 being my great desire, there is but one condition I would insist upon, 
 namely : That the men and ofBcers surrendered shall be disqualified for 
 taking up arms again against the Government of the United States until 
 properly exchanged. I will meet you, or will designate officers to meet any 
 ofiicers you may name for the same purpose, at any point agreeable to you, 
 for the purpose of arranging definitely the terms upon which the surrender 
 of the Army of Northern Virginia will be received. 
 
 " U. S. Grant, Lieutenant-General 
 
 " General R. E. Lee," 
 
 Early on the morning of the Stli the pursuit was resumed. 
 General Meade followed north of the Appomattox, and General 
 Sheridan, with all the cavalry, pushed straight for Appomattox 
 Station, followed by General Ord's command and the Filth Corps, 
 During the day General Meade's advance had considerable fight- 
 ing with the enemy's rear guard, but was unable to bring on a gen- 
 eral engagement. Late in the evening General Sheridan struck 
 the railroad at Appomattox Station, drove the enemy from there, 
 and captured twenty-five pieces of artillery, a hospital train, and 
 four trains of cars loaded with supplies for Lee's army. During 
 this day I accompanied General Meade's column, and about mid- 
 night received the following communication from General Lee : 
 
 "April 8, 1865. 
 " General : I received at a late hour your note of to-day. In mine 
 of yesterday I did not intend to propose the surrender of the Army of 
 
72 EEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GKANT. 
 
 Northern Virginia, but to ask the terms of your proposition. To be 
 frank, I do not think the emergency has arisen to call for the surrender of 
 this army ; but as the restoration of peace should be the sole object of all, 
 I desired to know whether your proposals would lead to that end. I can- 
 not, therefore, meet you with a view to surrender the Army of Northern 
 Virginia ; but as far as your proposal may affect the Confederate States 
 forces under my command, and tend to the restoration of peace, I should 
 be pleased to meet you at 10 a.m. to-morrow on the old stage road to 
 Richmond, between the picket lines of the two armies. 
 
 " li. E. Lee, General. 
 " Lieutenant-Geueral U. S. Grant." 
 
 Early on tlie morning of the 9tli I retnrned him an answer as 
 follows, and immediately started to join the column south of the 
 Appomattox : 
 
 "April 9, 1865. 
 
 " General : Your note of yesterday is received. " I have no authority 
 to treat on the subject of peace ; the meeting proposed for A. M. to-day 
 could lead to no good. I will state, however, General, that I am equally 
 anxious for peace with yourself, and the whole North entertains the same 
 feeling. The'tei'ms upon which peace can be had are well understood. 
 By the South laying down their arms they will hasten that most desirable 
 event, save thousands of human lives, aiid hundreds of millions of property 
 not yet destroyed. Seriously hoping that all our difficulties may be settled 
 without the loss of another life, I subscribe myself, &c., 
 
 " U. S. Grant, Lieuteuant-Gencral. 
 
 " General R. E. Lee." 
 
 On the morning of the 9t]i General Ord's command and' the 
 Fifth Corps reached Appomattox Station just as the enemy was 
 making a desperate eifort to break through our cavalry. The infan- 
 try was at once thrown in. Soon after a white flag was received, 
 requesting a suspension of hostilities pending negotiations for a 
 surrender. 
 
 Before reaching General Sheridan's headquarters, I received 
 the following from General Lee : 
 
 "April 9, 1865, 
 " General : I received your note of this morning on the picket line, 
 whither I had come to meet you, and ascertain definitely what terms were 
 embraced in your proposal of yesterday with reference to the surrender of 
 this army. I now ask an interview in accordance with the offer contained 
 in your letter of yesterday for that purpose. R. E. Lee, General. 
 
 " Lieutenant-General U. S. Grant." 
 
EEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT. 73 
 
 The interview was held at Appomattox Court-IIouse, the result 
 of which is set forth in the following correspondence : 
 
 " Appomattox Court-House, Ys., April 9, 1865. 
 
 " General : In accordance with the substance of ray letter to you of 
 the 8tli instant, I propose to receive the surrender of the Army of North- 
 ern Virginia on the following terms, to wit : Rolls of the officers and men 
 to be made in duplicate, one copy to be given to an officer to be designated 
 by me, the other to be retained by such officer or officers as you may desig- 
 nate. The officers to give their individual paroles not to take up arms 
 against the Government of the ' United States until properly exchanged ; 
 and each company or regimental commander sign a like parole for the men 
 of their commands. The arms, artillery, and public property to he packed 
 and stacked, and turned over to the officers appointed by me to receive 
 them. This will not embrace the side-arms of the officers, nor their private 
 horses or baggage. This done, each officer and man will be allowed to 
 return to their homes, not to be disturbed by United States authority 
 so long as they observe their paroles and the laAvs in force where they may 
 reside. U. S. Grant, Lieutenant-General. 
 
 » General R. E. Lee." 
 
 " Headquarters Army of Northern Va., April 9, 1865. 
 
 " General : I received your letter of this date containing the temns of 
 the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia as proposed by you. As 
 they are substantially the same as those expressed in your letter of the 8th 
 instant, they are accepted. I will proceed to designate the proper officers 
 to carry the stipulations into effect. ' R. E. Lee, General. 
 
 " Lieutenant-General U. S. Grant." 
 
 The command of Major-General Gibbon, the Fifth Army Corps 
 under Griftin, and McKenzie's cavalry, were designated to remain 
 at Appomattox Court-House until the paroling of the surrendered 
 army was completed, and to take charge of the public property. 
 The remainder of the army immediately returned to the vicinity 
 of Burkesville. 
 
 General Lee's great iniiuence throughout the whole South caused 
 his example to be followed, and to-day the result is that the armies 
 lately under his leadership are at their homes, desiring peace and 
 quiet, and their arms are in the hands of our ordnance officers. 
 
 On the receipt of my letter of the 5tb, General Sherman moved 
 directly against Joe Johnston, who retreated rapidly on and through 
 Kaleigh, which place General Sherman occupied on the morning of 
 
Y4 EEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT. 
 
 the 13tli. The day preceding news of the surrender of General 
 Lee reached him at Smithiield. 
 
 On the 14:th a correspondence was opened between General 
 Sherman and General Johnston, wliich resulted on the 18th in an 
 agreement for the suspension of hostilities, and a memorandum or 
 basis for peace, subject to the approval of the President. This 
 agreement was disapproved by the President on the 21st, which dis- 
 approval, together with your instructions, was communicated to 
 General Sherman by me in person on the morning of the 24th, 
 at Raleigh, North Carolina, in obedience to your orders. Notice 
 was at once given by him to General Johnston for the termination 
 of the truce that bad been entered into. On the 25th another 
 meeting between them was agreed upon, to take place on the 26th, 
 which terminated in the surrender and disbandment of Johnston's 
 army upon substantially the same terms as were given to General 
 Lee. 
 
 The expedition under General Stoneman from East Tennessee 
 got off on the 20th of March, moving by way of Boone, North 
 Carolina, and struck the railroad at Wytlieville, Chambersburg, and 
 Big Lick. The force striking it at Big Lick pushed on to within a 
 few miles of Lynchburg, destroying the important bridges, while 
 with the main force he effectually destroyed it between New Piver 
 and Big Lick, and then turned for Greensboro' on the North Caro- 
 lina Pailroad ; struck that road and destroyed the bridges between 
 Danville and Greensboro', and between Greensboro' and the Yad- 
 kin, together Avith the depots of supplies along it, and captured 
 400 prisoners. At Salisbury he attacked and defeated a force of 
 the enemy under General Gardiner, caj^turing fourteen j)ieces of 
 artillery and 1,364 prisoners, and destroyed large amounts of army 
 stores. At this place he destroyed fifteen miles of railroad and the 
 bridges toward Charlotte. Thence he moved to Slatersville. 
 
 General Canby, who had been directed in January to make 
 preparations for a movement from Mobile Bay against Mobile and 
 the interior of Alabama, commenced his movement on the 20th of 
 March. The Sixteenth Corps, Major-General A. J. Smith command- 
 ing, moved from Fort Gaines by water to Fish- River ; the Thir- 
 teenth Corps, under Major-General Gordon Granger, moved from 
 Fort Morgan and joined the Sixteenth Corps on Fish River, both 
 moving thence on Spanish Fort and investing it on the 27tli ; while 
 Major-General Steele's command moved from Pensaeola, cut the 
 
EEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT. 75 
 
 railroad leading from Tensas to Montgomery, effected a junction 
 witli them, and partially invested Fort Blakely. After a severe 
 bombardment of Spanish Fort a part of its line was carried on the 
 8th of April, During the night the enemy evacuated the fort. 
 Fort Blakely was carried by assault on the 9th, and . many prison- 
 ers captured ; our loss was considerable. These successes practi- 
 cally opened to lis the Alabama E,iver, and enabled ns to approach 
 Mobile from the north. On the night of the 11th the city was 
 evacuated, and was taken possession of by our forces on the morn- 
 ing of the 12th. , 
 
 The expedition under command of Brevet Major-G-eneral Wilson, 
 consisting of 12,500 mounted men, was delayed by rains until March 
 22d, when it moved from Chickasaw, Alabama. On the 1st of April 
 General Wilson encountered the enemy in force under Forrest near 
 Ebenezer Church, drove him in confusion, captured 300 prisoners 
 and three guns, and destroyed the central bridge over the Cahawba 
 Kiver. On the 2d he attacked and captured the fortified city of 
 Selma, defended by Forrest with 7,000 men and thirty-two guns, de- 
 stroyed the arsenal, armory, naval foundry, machine shops, vast quan- 
 tities of stores, and captured 3,000 prisoners. On the 4th he captured 
 and destroyed Tuscaloosa. On the 10th he crossed the Alabama 
 Eiver, and after sending information of his operations to General 
 Canby, marched on Montgomery, which place he occupied on the_ 
 14th, the enemy having abandoned it. At this place many stores 
 and five steamboats fell into our hands. Thence a force marched 
 direct on Columbus, and another on West Point, both of which 
 places were assaulted and captured on the 16th. At the former 
 place we got 1,500 prisoners and fif1ty-two field guns, destroyed two 
 gunboats, the navy yard, foundries, arsenal, many factories, and 
 much other public property. At the latter place we got three 
 hundred prisoners, four guns, and destroyed nineteen locom.otives 
 and three hundred cars. On the 20th he took possession of Macon, 
 Georgia, with sixty field guns, 1,200 militia, and five generals, 
 surrendered by General Howell Cobb. General Wilson, hearing 
 that Jeff. Davis was trying to make his escape, sent forces in pur- 
 suit and succeeded in capturing him on the morning of May lltli. 
 
 On the 4th day of May General Dick Taylor surrendered to 
 General Canby all the remaining rebel forces east of the Missis- 
 sippi. 
 
 A force sufficient to insure an easy triumph over the enemy 
 
7Q EEPOET OF LIEUTENANT-GENEEAl U. S. GRANT. 
 
 under Kirby Smith, west of tlie Mississippi, was immediately put 
 in motion for Texas, and Major-General Sheridan designated for 
 its immediate command ; but on the 26th day of May, and be- 
 fore they reached their destination, General Kirby Smith sur- 
 rendered his* entire command to Major-General Canby. This 
 surrender did not take place, however, until after the capture of 
 the rebel President and Vice-President ; and the bad faith was 
 exhibited of first disbanding most of his army and permitting 
 an indiscriminate plunder of public property. 
 
 Owing to the report that many of those lately in arms against 
 the Government had taken refuge upon the soil of Mexico, car- 
 rying with them arms rightfully belonging to the United States, 
 which had been surrendered to us by agreement — among them 
 some of the leaders who had surrendered in person — and the dis- 
 turbed condition of affairs on the Pio Grande, the orders for troops 
 to proceed to Texas were not changed. 
 
 There have been severe combats, raids, expeditions, and move- 
 ments to defeat the designs and pui^poses of the enemy, most of 
 them reflecting great credit on our arms, and which contributed 
 greatly to our final triumph, that I have not mentioned. Many of 
 these will be found clearly set forth in the reports herewith sub- 
 mitted ; some in the telegrams and brief despatches announcing 
 them, and others, I regret to say, have not as yet been ofiicially re- 
 ported. 
 
 For information touching our Indian difiiculties, I would re- 
 spectfully refer to the reports of the commanders of departments 
 in which they have occurred. 
 
 It has been my fortune to see the armies of both the "West and 
 the East fight battles, and from what I have seen I know there is 
 no difterence in their fighting qualities. All that it was possible 
 for men to do in battle they have done. The Western armies com- 
 menced their battles in the Mississippi Yalley, and received the 
 final surrender of the remnant of the principal army opposed to 
 them in North Carolina. The armies of the East commenced 
 their battles on the river from which the Army of the Potomac de- 
 rived its name, and received the final surrender of their old antago- 
 nist at A])pomattox Court-ITouse, Virginia. The splendid achieve- 
 ments of each have nationalized our victories, removed all sec- 
 tional jealousies (of which we have unfortunately experienced too , 
 much), and the cause of crimination and recrimination that might 
 
EEPOKT OF LIEDTENANT-GENEEAL U. S. GEANT. 77 
 
 have followed had either section failed in its duty. All have a 
 proud record, and all sections can well congratulate themselves 
 and each other for having done their full share in restoring the 
 supremacy of law over every foot of territory belonging to the 
 United States, Let them hope for perpetual peace ' and harmony 
 with that enemy, whose manhood, however mistaken the cause, 
 drew forth such herculean deeds of valor. 
 I have the honor to be, 
 
 Yery respectfully, your obedient servant, 
 
 U. S. GEANT, Lieutenant-General. 
 Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War. 
 
 Adjutant-Geneeal's Office, N'ovember 18, 1865, 
 [Official copy]. E. D. Townsend, 
 
 Assistant Adjutant-General. 
 
HISTORY OF THE WOULD 
 
 BY 
 
 PHILIP SMITH, B.A. 
 
 PL An QF THE WORK. 
 
 SrsrcE Sir "Walter Ealeigh solaced his imprisonment in the Tower hy the 
 composition of his "History of the "World," the Literature of England has 
 Lever achieved the work which he left nnfinished. Tliere have been " Uni- 
 Tersal Histories," from the hulk of an encyclopasdia to the most meagre out- 
 'jie, in which the annals of each nation are separately recorded; but without 
 ■n attempt to trace the story of Divine Providence and human progress in 
 lie connected narrative. It is proposed to supi)ly this want by a work, con- 
 'ensed enough to keep it within a reasonable size, but yet so full as to be 
 Vee from the dry baldness of an epitome. The hterature of Germany 
 bounds in histories, — such as those of Miiller, Schlosser, Karl von Eotteck, 
 Ouncker, and others, — which at once prove the demand for such a book, and 
 "urnish models, in some degree, for its execution. But even those great 
 works are somewhat deficient in that organic unitij which is the chief aim 
 Df this "History of the World." 
 
 The story of our whole race, like that of each separate nation, has " a 
 beginning, a middle, and an end." That story we propose to follow, from its 
 beginning in the sacred records, and from the dawn of civilization in the 
 East, — through the successive Oriental Empires, — the rise of Mberty and the 
 perfection of heathen polity, arts, and literature in Greece and Rome, — the 
 change which passed over the face of the world when the Mght"of Christi- 
 anity sprung up, — the origin and first appearance of those barbarian races 
 which overthrew both divisions of the Roman Empire, — tlie annals of the 
 States which rose on the Empire's ruins, including the picturesque details of 
 medieval history and the steady progress of modern liberty and civilization, 
 — and the extension of these influences, by discovery, conquest, colonization, 
 md Christian missions, to the remotest regions of the earth. In a word, as 
 separate histories reflect the detached scenes of human action and suffering, 
 iVLV aim is to bring into one view the several parts which assm-edly form one 
 jreat whole, moving onwards, under the guidance of Divine Providence, to 
 ;he imknown end ordained in the Divine purposes. 
 
 Such a work, to be really useful, must be condensed into a moderate com- 
 oass ; else the powers of the writer would be frittered away, and the atten 
 aon of the reader wearied out by an overwhelming bulk, filled up with 
 nicroscopic details. The more striking facts of history, — the rise and fall 
 ■. : empires, — the achievements of warriors and heroes, — the struggles of 
 . 3oples for their rights and freedom, — the conflict between priestcraft and 
 eligious liberty, — must needs stand out on the canvas of such a picture with 
 lie prominence they claim in the world itself. But they will not divert our 
 
HISTORY OF THE WORLD. 
 
 attention from tlie more quiet and influential working of science and art, 
 social progress and individual thought, — the living seed sown, and the fruit 
 borne, in the field broken np by those outward changes. 
 
 While special care will be bestowed on those periods and nations, the 
 history of which is scarcely to ba found in any works accessible to the 
 general reader, the more famiUar parts of history will be treated in their 
 due proportion to the whole work. It will be found, we trust, by no means 
 the least valuable part of the scheme, — that the portions of history which 
 are generally looked at by themselves, — those, for example, of Greece and 
 Rome, and of our own country, — will be regarded from a common point of 
 view with all the rest : a view which may, in some cases, modify the con- 
 clusions drawn by classical partiality and national pride. 
 
 The spirit of the work, — at least if the execution be true to the concep- 
 tion, — will be equally removed from narrow partisanship and affected indif- 
 ference. The historian, as wcE as the poet, must be in earnest, 
 
 " Dowei-'d with the Late of hate, the scorn of scorn, 
 The love of love ;" 
 
 but he must also be able to look beyond the errors, and even the virtues, of 
 his fellow-men, to the great ends which the Supreme Ruler of events works 
 out by their agency : — 
 
 •' Yet I donht not through the ages one increasing purpose runs, 
 And the thoughts of men are widen'd with the process of the suns." 
 
 No pains will be spared to make this history scholarlike in substance and 
 popular in style. It will be founded on the best authorities, ancient and 
 modern, original and secondary. The vast .progress recently made in 
 historical and critical Investigations, the results obtained from the modern 
 science of compaivativc philology, and the discoveries which have laid open 
 new sources of information concerning the East, afford such facihties as to 
 make the present a fit epoch for our undertaking. 
 
 The work will be divided into three Periods, each complete in itself, and 
 will form Eight Volumes in Demy Octavo. 
 I. — Ancient History, Sacred and Secular ; from the Creation to the Fall of 
 
 the Western Empire, in A. D. 476. Two Volumes. 
 II. — Medieval Histoey, Cival and Ecclesiastical; from the Fall oi the 
 
 Western Empire to the taking of Constantinople by the Tm-ks, in A. D. 
 
 1453. Two Volumes. 
 III. — Modern History ; from the Fall of the Byzantine Empire to our own 
 
 Times. Four Volumes. 
 It will be published in 8 vols., 8vo. Price in cloth $3 50 per vol. 
 3heep $4 50. Volume 1 now ready. 
 
 PdEWYOREC: D. APPLETOI^ & CO., Publishers. 
 
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 THE MILITARY AND NAVAL HISTORY 
 
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